$150B farm succession challenge looms for NZ agriculture
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
DAIRY COMMODITY prices dipped overnight on Fonterra’s GlobalDairyTrade platform with the trade weighted index of all commodities down 1.6%.
The dip follows two successive upticks in prices at the November 15 and December 6 auctions.
Skimmed milk powder was down 3.2% at US$3,312/t and whole milk powder (WMP) back 1.5% at US$3,589/t. Anhydrous milk fat bucked the trend, lifting 4.8% to average US$4,183/t across the three positions offered, with sales for June-August up 11.8%.
The easier market overall comes amid suggestions demand from China is waning.
Earlier this week UK-based Agrimoney reported that USDA officials in Beijing had slashed predicted WMP demand from China, by far the biggest importer, by 75,000t to 375,000t.
Higher prices had put imported WMP out of reach of smaller Chinese processors who are turning increasingly to domestic supplies, despite continued safety concerns, said the USDA.
Meanwhile Rabobank, releasing its quarterly dairy report yesterday, predicted “abundant” supply through early 2012, as the Southern Hemisphere clears a strong production season and Northern Hemisphere production continues to outpace demand.
Stocks may start to build, increasing pressure to sell, and the market may struggle to digest supply the first quarter of 2012, “bringing the prospect of a return to a modest downward trend in pricing,” said the bank.
Fonterra has increased its 2024/25 forecast Farmgate Milk Price from $10/kgMS to $10.15/kgMS.
It took a stint at university to remind Otago dairy farmer Megan Morrison that being stuck in a classroom was not for her.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
DairyNZ has announced the date for its upcoming Milksolids Levy vote.
Federated Farmers says climate protest group Greenpeace is manufacturing outrage and attempting to scare New Zealanders with headlines that have no basis in science.
New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) says it is supporting importer Goodfood Group in its decision to recall Food Snob and Mon Ami brand French Brie and Camembert cheeses.
OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery…
OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.