US tariffs boost NZ wool carpet export opportunity
A 50% tariff slapped by the US on goods from India last month has opened an opportunity for New Zealand wool carpets exports to North America.
Meat processor and exporter Silver Fern Farms Ltd has joined fellow South Island-based meat company Alliance Group in reporting a big loss for the past year.
SFF released its full-year results to Dec 31, 2023, last week, reporting a $24.4 million loss – with revenue down nearly $500m to $2.78 billion.
It compares to 2022’s net profit of $189.3m with revenue of $3.27b. Meanwhile, Silver Fern Farms Co-operative, which jointly owns Silver Fern Farms Ltd with Chineseowned Shanghai Maling Aquarius, also posted a loss of $10.7m over the 12-month period.
Neither the main company nor the co-op will pay a dividend for the year. Silver Fern Farms is NZ’s largest meat processor, killing sheep, beef and venison at 14 plants nationwide.
It blames the loss mainly on red meat prices, particularly lamb – which has been under significant pressure – due to a weak market in China and Australian product flooding markets.
SFF chair Rob Hewett said “depressed” consumer confidence across its key markets had pressured its customers, the operating company, and “ultimately, returns for our farmer suppliers.”
Hewett added that while it was disappointing not to be in a position to pay dividend this year, he is confident in the company’s ability to recover when market conditions become more favourable.
Alliance Group reported a loss of just over $70m in its financial year to Sept 30, 2023.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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