What Would Synlait Be Worth to Fonterra or a2 Milk?
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question, says agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
Global dairy prices have continued their downward slide.
The Global Dairy Trade (GDT) event overnight concluded with the GDT Price Index down 2%, compared to the previous event.
For NZ farmers, the biggest worry will be the continued drop in whole milk powder prices, the benchmark used by Fonterra to set its milk payout.
WMP price dropped 2.9% to US$2,665/MT.
Key results
AMF index down 1.3%, average price US$5,044/MT
Butter index down 1.7%, average price US$4,045/MT
BMP index up 0.8%, average price US$2,568/MT
Ched index down 4.6%, average price US$3,250/MT
LAC index down 2.7%, average price US$902/MT
RenCas index down 2.9%, average price US$5,327/MT
SMP index up 1.2%, average price US$1,997/MT
SWP index not available, average price not available
WMP index down 2.9%, average price US$2,655/MT
More signs of a booming kiwifruit sector.
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New Zealand wool is reaching new heights as air filtration companies move away from synthetic products to biodegradable alternatives.
Opuha Dam's ability to protect South Canterbury communities from major flooding has taken a significant step forward, with Opuha Water Limited (OWL) successfully commissioning a new outlet valve capable of releasing record volumes of water from the dam ahead of a weather event.
There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's announcement on changes to freshwater farm plans that come under the Natural Environment Bill, which is now set to replace the existing RMA.
A partnership between state-owned enterprise Pāmu (Landcorp Farming Limited) and charity Meet the Need is putting more than quality New Zealand beef into food bank parcels this year.