Silver Fern Farms, the country's biggest meat processor, says its is forming a 50/50 joint partnership with Chinese investors.

Trade Minister Tim Groser says he remains 90 per cent certain that TPP talks will be successfully completed later this year.

This season's lamb crop is expected to fall by 5.7 per cent compared with last year, says Beef and Lamb New Zealand in its latest season outlook.

Prices are expected to rise at this week's GlobalDairyTrade auction but doubts remain as to how much further improvement is in store.

Shanghai Maling Aquarius is understood to have a $300 million war chest to back its bid for a slice of the Kiwi meat co-operative.

British farmers are bleating after a supermarket was accused of trying to pass off Kiwi lamb as Scottish.

Fonterra is cutting back the amount of product it sells on its GlobalDairyTrade auction platform for the next 12 months.

Pre-tax profits for an average sheep and beef farm in New Zealand will increase to $109,900 this season - 9.6 per cent more than last season, but 3.1 per cent below the five-year average, Beef and Lamb New Zealand says in its 2016/6 season outlook.

Fonterra has confirmed it has put on hold a proposed coal mine at Mangatangi while it assesses its energy options.

Deal would increase dominance of New Zealand's biggest meat exporter but erode farmer control of the industry.

Low world dairy prices aren't stopping the NZ industry - production was up 13pc last month from July last year.

Banks appear to have come to the party for NZ farmers needing support during the dairy downturn.

Study says $11.84 billion of New Zealand GDP is at risk from a host of man-made and natural threats during the next decade.

Whole milk powder prices, which are the key to determining Fonterra's farmgate milk price, rose by 12.1 per cent to an average US$2078 a tonne.

Fonterra's move to cut the amount it sells on its global dairy auction appears to have worked.

New Zealand's terms of trade unexpectedly rose in the second quarter as a slide of almost 10 per cent in the Kiwi dollar helped lift prices of exports such as dairy products.

More than half of New Zealanders appear to have made up their minds already about whether the Trans Pacific Partnership is a good or bad thing.

New Zealand is prepared to fight for "the principles of trade" in its beef battle with Indonesia, says our ambassador to the Southeast Asian nation.

State-owned farmer Landcorp said its profit fell by 84 per cent due mostly due to lower milk and lamb prices.

The country's trade deficit was smaller than expected in July as exports of fruit and meat drove overseas sales higher.

Fonterra's new $230 million high-efficiency milk powder plant at its Pahiatua site has processed its first milk.

Australian steel products group Bluescope is to review its steelmaking operations in Australia and New Zealand, saying it needs "game-changing" savings in operating costs.

Trade Minister Tim Groser says Southeast Asia is New Zealand's "number one insurance policy".

A new online exchange aims to help investors who own shares in private companies or units in property, farm or forestry syndicates to trade them more easily.

Asian markets are developing a sweet tooth, creating export opportunities for Wellington chocolate maker Whittaker's.

Investment bank says there is a 25 to 30 per cent risk of New Zealand's economy going into recession in the next 12 months.

DairyNZ chairman John Luxton says it some TPP players are seeking to maintain trade protection rather than reduce it.

Seeka Kiwifruit Industries's profit gains reflected record kiwifruit volumes, the company said.

Farmers were given cause for cautious optimism after global dairy auction prices rallied by almost 15 per cent, ending a 10-sale losing streak.