Fonterra Lifts Farmgate Milk Price
Good news for Fonterra farmers. The co-op has raised this season’s farmgate milk price mid-point by 25c to $9.75/kgMS.
Fonterra has managed to sell only 1% of its stake in the troubled Chinese company Beingmate.
Chief executive Miles Hurrell says the co-op will continue to offer the shares on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange market.
Under the sharemarket rules it is only possible to sell up to 1% cent every 90 days directly on the exchange, or sell up to 2% in a single block every 90 days.
Trades greater than 5% can be made to an individual party in an off-market transaction.
Hurrell says the co-op is also willing to sell a larger stake off market to any interested party.
Fonterra paid $750 million for its 18.8% shareholding in March 2015, in a bid to gain access to Chinese consumers for its infant formula.
Last year Fonterra wrote down the investment by $439m which helped lead to its first ever annual loss of $196m.
Hurrell says apart from Beingmate, the co-op is reviewing its China Farms and Brazilian joint venture with Nestle.
He expects a decision on both these investments this financial year.
Massey University vice chancellor Pierre Venter says his institute is moving from a period of austerity into a growth phase, based on their new strategy.
With the red meat sector going through a boom time with high prices, the time is right for the industry to step up its investment into developing new food products.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Nick Beeby says there’s now much closer cooperation between meat processing companies than there was many years ago.
A new fruit quality research laboratory has been opened in Auckland by agritech company Hectre to develop pioneering hyperspectral technology.
Farmer lobby Groundswell believes that farmers are worried about the implications of a potential centre-left government.
With less than a week to go before voters choose the next government, Federated Farmers has a simple message to its members - get out and vote.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.