Editorial: Fireworks or damp squib?
OPINION: November 7 has been set by Christopher Luxon as ‘E day’ – election day.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is off to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for high-level talks with Emirati leaders.
He will also witness the signing of the New Zealand-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Negotiations concluded on the free trade agreement in September last year and the deal has been largely welcomed by the agriculture sector.
Currently, two-way trade between New Zealand and the UAE is valued at NZ$1.3 billion. From day one of the agreement, duties will be eliminated on 98.5% of New Zealand’s exports to the UAE.
Luxon says the UAE is a trusted partner for New Zealand.
“I look forward to celebrating the growth in our bilateral relationship, including the signature of our first-class trade deal,” he says.
Luxon says the agreement provides a springboard for New Zealand companies to engage with the UAE’s market, offering opportunities to increase trade and investment flows.
“This is all part of the work we are doing to achieve our goal of doubling the value of our exports in ten years,” he says.
Organisers are expecting another full field of 40 of the country’s top shearers for the popular Speed Shearing event at this year’s Southern Field Days at Waimumu.
The Southern Field Days Innovation Awards have a great record in picking winners and the winner of the 2024 event will be putting up a display to support the event at this year’s show.
A buoyant farm economy should make for a successful 2026 Southern Field Days, says chairman Steve Henderson.
OPINION: November 7 has been set by Christopher Luxon as ‘E day’ – election day.
The strong wool market has improved in the past six months, despite drops in production over recent years.
On January 5th at Te Pa Station, the World Sheep Shearing Records saw a new nine-hour strong wool ewes shearing record set by Simon Goss.

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