Latest from Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

Rain needed to support milk volumes

Fonterra says its milk collection in New Zealand for the 10 months to March 31 reached 1431 million kg of milk solids - 1 per cent higher than for the same period last season.

End of quota will steady prices

The end of the European Union's quota system poses a challenge to New Zealand's dominance of global dairy trade and is likely to put an end to the sharp upward spikes in prices seen in the past, says....

Dry weather beef up slaughter rates

Dry weather and weak dairy prices underpinned higher beef slaughter rates in the first quarter, driving prices lower, but they remain strong by historical standards, Rabobank said in its quarterly....

Ireland invests in dairy sector

In the lobby of Ireland's Agriculture Department in Dublin, a flat-screen TV displays a digital clock counting down the seconds until April 1.

More competition as EU scrubs quotas

Zespri bounces back after Psa

The first shipment of New Zealand kiwifruit set off from the Port of Tauranga yesterday, marking the start of a season that looks set to see volumes bounce back to pre-Psa levels, says Zespri chief....

Gary Mortimer: The next food trend - Inglorious baskets of knobbly fruit and veg

Consumer-driven food trends are nothing new. "Organics", gluten-free and others have all captured consumers, encouraging supermarkets around the globe to respond.

Mark Lister: Poison threat reminder of economic risks

When news broke of the 1080 baby formula threats, there was an immediate financial market reaction.

Meat industry report backs co-op model

A report into New Zealand's meat industry has come out heavily in favour of a single co-operative business model similar to Fonterra's to deal with decades-old issues of overcapacity and too much....

Bank settlements top $24m

A probe into how three banks marketed interest rate swaps to farmers will see up to $24.2 million go back to rural customers and their communities, with Westpac following ANZ and ASB and settling with the Commerce Commission.

Top Cooks official sparks cop callout

A foreign official at an international conference sparked a police callout to an Auckland Hotel, but no details are being made public.

Otago farmers hit hard by drought

Lindsay Carruthers doesn't use a rain gauge when it comes to measuring rainfall on his Middlemarch farm.

China's rulers in survival mode

Economic reform in China, one of New Zealand's largest trading partners accounting for 22 per cent of exports, is a lower priority than trying to save the Communist Party, according to Wall Street....

Apples down 6% but quality better

Local apple production looks set to drop by 6 per cent this year because of a cool start to spring, but a warm summer has improved the crop's quality, says Pipfruit New Zealand.

Agritech exports can grow bigger

New Zealand's agritechnology exports, worth $1.2 billion annually, look to be on a roll despite historically underperforming compared with key competitors.

Fran O'Sullivan: White Gold Rush hits sticky patch

This will be the year in which New Zealand dairy farmers, companies, investors and their bankers will find themselves consumed by a crucial question - is the White Gold Rush finally over or will....

Kiwifruit exporters' dollar battle

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri faces a positive outlook this year but there are headwinds - the New Zealand dollar's strength against the currencies of its two biggest export destinations, Japan and....

Canterbury farmers fear severe drought

Canterbury is on the verge of a 20th century-style drought with the southern region the driest it has been in a decade, forcing farmers to sell surplus stock and leading to restrictions on irrigation....