Landcorp should be lined up for a partial privatisation to inject new private capital into the company instead of selling off farm assets at the bottom of the dairy cycle, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

I like to see the glass half full, and I have the facts to back that view. If you still want to see the glass half empty - you're the loser, writes Mike Hosking.

Finance Minister Bill English won't rule out state farming company Landcorp having to sell more farms than usual to ensure it is not too loaded with debt.

Signs look good for Fonterra that dairy prices will bounce in tomorrow's GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction.

Fonterra's market share in the South Island has slipped beneath the 80 per cent threshold specified in its enabling legislation, Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says.

Fonterra's forecast of a 2 per cent fall in milk production this season is looking more conservative by the day as farmers cull stock.

Fonterra's market share in the South Island has slipped beneath 80 per cent ending pro-competition provisions.

"There's nothing more depressing than knowing when those big tankers come on to your farm you are paying Fonterra to take your milk away."

Fonterra says it is significantly reducing the amount of product it puts up for sale on the GlobalDairyTrade auction platform over the next 12 months.

Fonterra has been put on credit watch with negative implication by ratings agency Standard and Poor's.

Yes, these are tough times for dairy farmers but we should trust those with the industry's interests at heart, writes Mike Hosking.

Andrew is spending the week trying to scare the bejesus out of us over dairy.

Our senior business leaders are becoming increasingly concerned about the slowing economy, the Government's strategy and our reliance on China and dairy exports.

Downbeat economic commentary continued to flow yesterday, with Westpac saying it expects New Zealand's annual GDP growth to dip below 2 per cent, while ANZ's Truckometer is pointing to a clear....

Finance Minister Bill English said today the Government would not be offering special financial support to dairy farmers in trouble because of low prices.

The number of mortgagee sales has jumped nationwide in the past quarter as worsening economic conditions and lower dairy payouts hit parts of provincial New Zealand.

Milk powder prices will need to improve substantially before Fonterra's revised farmgate milk price of $3.85 per kg of milk solids can become a reality, say analysts.

Fonterra effectively overpaid farmers last year, sapping funds available to pay farmers at the end of the season.

Dairy farmer can't believe there are people in the industry being ''paid millions'' who have led farmers "up the garden path a bit".

New Zealand's listed companies are expected to present solid results to the market in the coming months but analysts are predicting cautious outlooks.

Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says farmers are "very strong and resilient" and he is confident low dairy prices will bounce back amidst market volatility.

Dairy giant yesterday revealed its latest payout forecast, dealing a blow to individual farmers, and the wider economy.

Much of the available loans it will offer will likely pass straight to banks to meet debt-servicing costs, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

$4.55 swing in forecast milk price paid to farmers over two seasons shows there's something wrong with NZ's dairy model, says Landcorp Farming CEO Steve Carden.

The country's biggest exporter has lowered its price from a previous forecast of $5.25 following sharp falls in whole milk powder prices.

Paparimu dairy farmer Craig Maxwell says farmers are worried about the survival of their farms.

A drop in the price of milk on supermarket shelves could be in store for New Zealanders - but not anytime soon, says supermarket chain Countdown.

Fonterra is expected to announce a sharp reduction in its farmgate milk price today.

Dairy farm prices are likely to fall this spring as the sector faces the prospect of two successive years of sub-par payouts, says the ANZ Bank