Listen: DIRA a 'missed opportunity' - Fonterra

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Fair weather and a good turnout at Fieldays has provided an opportunity for Fonterra to talk to farmers about DIRA says Mike Cronin.

The Country Early Edition's Rowena Duncum caught up with Fonterra's Managing Director for Co-operative Affairs at Fieldays to get the co-op's take on the Government's DIRA announcement last week.

"It's good to have it out there so we can start having the conversations, but we do see it as a missed opportunity. We're still in a position where our farmers are having to give their milk to overseas owned businesses that are exporting it. We think it's time to focus back on them, and the benefit to New Zealand" said Cronin.

There have been a few "tweaks to the rules" around open entry, which are "useful" said Cronin, but "we want to have a bigger conversation about that, because it's really not in the interest of farmers".

Open entry is when Fonterra is required to collect milk from any farm that wants to supply it.

"We think it had its place, but now things have moved on and there's no need for it anymore, and it needs modernising" said Cronin.

"It's just not addressing the real issue which is there is going to be too much capacity here in New Zealand, and that's not good for farmers".

Also in today's interview: Cronin discusses a potential government appointee on Fonterra's Milk Price Panel, and how the co-op's Fixed Milk Price event when this week.