Open Country Dairy prepares to launch first commercial butter
The country's second largest milk processor hopes to produce its first commercial butter within two months.
Open Country Dairy suppliers have received a final payout of $7.37/ kgMS for milk sent to the factories in October and November last year.
Open Country chief executive Mark de Lautour says the final payout was “was at the higher end of our range for the period and reflected that market price improved slightly earlier than we had forecast”.
In his monthly message to farmer suppliers, de Lautour says he expects prices to improve in the coming months.
“We expect further upside in the coming two periods remaining in this milk season, however this is conditional on continued demand – especially following Chinese New Year – and finished product price improvement.”
OCD pays its farmers the full milk price in four periods every 12 months.
The Talley’s-owned business is forecasting a milk price of between $7.50 to $7.80/kgMS for the January period, which covers milk supplied between December last year and January this year. Farmers will be paid in full in March.
For the May period (milk supplied between February and May this year) OCD suppliers can expect a milk price of between $8 and $8.40/kgMS. For September period (June to September supply) Open Country is forecasting between $8.30 and $8.70/kgMS.
Meanwhile, Open Country’s sales team are busy preparing for the Gulfood trade show in mid-February. Held in Dubai, Open Country has a significant presence at this show with the Middle East being a key geographic market for the company.
“While centered around this part of the world, buyers globally attend, so it represents a good opportunity to meet a number of both current and potential customers,” says de Lautour.
Holstein Friesian excellence was front and centre at the 2025 Holstein Friesian NZ (HFNZ) Awards, held recently in Invercargill.
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
This past week has seen another round of negotiations between India and New Zealand to produce a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
The Infrastructure Commission has endorsed a plan by Chorus to expand fibre broadband to 95% of New Zealand much to the delight of rural women.
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
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