NZ agribusinesses urged to embrace China’s e-commerce and innovation boom
Keep up with innovation and e-commerce in China or risk losing market share. That was the message delivered at the China Business Summit in Auckland this month.
Up and down but not too bad in the circumstances. That's one way of describing Zespri's final result for the 2023-24 season.
Despite all the challenges, including weather, Zespri's global kiwifruit sales for the year were 2% up on the previous season to $3.99 billion, reflecting improved fruit quality and strong pricing secured throughout the season. This result was good considering that the actual number of trays of kiwifruit sold was down 10.5% to 164.2 million trays compared with 183.5 million sold in the previous season.
Zespri's net profit after tax was $173.3 million, down from $238.7 million in 2022/23, mainly driven it says by reduced licence revenue.
In terms of grower returns, those who fared best were those with Zespri green, Zespri green 14 and SunGold with their returns per hectare up on the previous season. However organic green and organic SunGold were down. Zespri ruby Red was almost on a par with the previous season.
Zespri's chief executive Dan Mathieson says the results reflect the industry effort to lift fruit quality, along with strong consumer demand for Zespri Kiwifruit, which he says is encouraging.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.