Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.
OPINION: Your old mate had a bit of a giggle at current Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor's effusive praise of the primary sector, when releasing the latest MPI SOPI report late last year.
O'Connor couldn't get in fast enough to welcome MPI's predictions that the country's primary sector would earn NZ more than $50 billion in export earnings by June 2022.
He even went on to say this figure would grow even more in the years ahead as NZ farmers and growers kept producing the very products the world wants.
Funny thing is that this is the same Damien O'Connor who poured scorn on his predecessor Nathan Guy when the former ag minister outlined his goal for the primary sector to double the value of its 2012 export figures of $32 billion to $64 billion by 2025.
It seems Guy's 2025 target may not be as fanciful as O'Connor claimed at the time!
Nearly three years on from Cyclone Gabrielle, Hawke's Bay apple orchardist Paul Paynter says they are still doing remedial work around their orchards and facing financial challenges.
An unusual participant at the recent Royal A&P Show in Christchurch was a stand promoting a variety of European products, during an event that normally champions the homegrown.
Bradley Wadsworth lives on the family farm – Omega Station – in the Wairarapa about 30 minutes’ drive east from Masterton.
With global milk prices falling, the question is when will key exporting countries reach a tipping point where production starts to dip.
Rural contractors want the Government to include a national standard for air plans as part of its Resource Management Act reforms.
The biggest reform of local government in more than 35 years is underway.