Rabobank 2026 Outlook: Geopolitics shapes global agriculture
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
Rabobank says the relocation of the bank's head office to Hamilton marks a new chapter for the bank.
Rabobank New Zealand chief executive Todd Charteris says the bank is now located at heart of the vibrant Waikato food and agri region.
"The new Rabobank Centre will be a place where our employees, farmers and community leaders can come together to share ideas to further advance the industry and to help the bank's clients achieve their goals," he says.
"But this is about much more than opening a new office. It's about making a statement about who we are and what we stand for.
"It's about helping us embed a minset across out business centred on getting closer to our clients regardless of where we work across New Zealand, so we can make even better and more effective decisions for them."
Charteris says the Waikato is a real hub for food and agri innovation and development.
"We feel we are now ideally positioned to support our clients and to further grow our New Zealand business."
The new head office in Union Square houses employees: 50 head office staff based in Wellington previously joined in the new building by members of the Waikato regional team who had previously been based in the bank's Hamilton office on London Street.
Ashburton cropping and dairy farmer Matthew Paton has been elected to the board of rural services company, Ruralco.
The global agricultural landscape has entered a new phase where geopolitics – not only traditional market forces – will dictate agricultural trade flows, prices, and production decisions.
National Lamb Day is set to return in 2026 with organisers saying the celebrations will be bigger than ever.
Fonterra has dropped its forecast milk price mid-point by 50c as a surge in global milk production is putting downward pressure on commodity prices.
The chance of a $10-plus milk price for this season appears to be depleting.
Keep focused on things that can be controlled on farm.
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