Its all about ag exports
OPINION: The Public Service in New Zealand between 2017 and 2023 grew rapidly from 48,000 to over 64,000, and this does not include the use of consultants.
A developing oversupply of logs in China and continuing currency pressure has resulted in a small fall in New Zealand forestry export earnings for the latest quarter.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has this week released forestry production and trade figures for the December 2011 quarter.
The total value of New Zealand forestry exports for the quarter to 31 December 2011 was down $56.1 million on the previous December quarter, at NZ$1.1 billion.
But overall earnings were up for the 2011 calendar year (to 31 December), because China drove strong demand during the middle part of the year. The value of forestry exports increased by NZ$257.5 million to NZ$4.5 billion for the year.
Forestry still accounted for around 10% of New Zealand's total merchandise exports, at 9.8% for the 2011 calendar year (ending 31 December), compared with 10.2% the previous year.
Conditions were still challenging for the sawn timber industry, with total export earnings and volumes decreasing to NZ$751.0 million and 1.9 million cubic metres. MAF reports this is due to continuing weak housing sectors in the high-value United States and Australian markets, exacerbated by high exchange rates for key trading currencies.
For more information, go to the full reports in the Publications section of the MAF website.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.
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