While early varieties of onions have already been lifted out of the ground to dry, the main seasonal thrust starts later this week heading into the packing and shipping period from early February with sales continuing through to the end of July.
The New Zealand dollar is predicted to decline in the first quarter on the expectation markets have already priced in local interest rate hikes and as a reduction in the Federal Reserve's stimulus programme boosts the greenback against most major currencies.
Expectations for the New Zealand dollar at the end of the quarter range from 78 US cents to 84 cents, according to the BusinessDesk survey taken Dec. 19-20.
The kiwi, which recently traded at 92.44 Australian cents, will probably edge lower to 92 cents by the end of the quarter, according to the median of 11 forecasts in the survey. Expectations range from 90 cents to 94.30 cents.
The survey shows the trade-weighted index, which tracks the New Zealand currency against those of Australia, Japan, the US, the UK and the euro area, will likely be at 78 from 78.32 currently. Expectations in the BusinessDesk survey range from 73.5 to 80. That compares with the Reserve Bank's expectation for the TWI to average 77.4 over the quarter, according to its latest forecast published Dec. 12.