Waikato farmers tackle debt as interest rates fall, says Zonderop
Waikato Federated Farmers dairy chair Matthew Zonderop says two consecutive years of a $10 milk price is fantastic for New Zealand agriculture.
Last season was a mixed bag for Waikato contractors, with early planted forage maize, planted on the dry soils around Cambridge, doing badly after germination and failing to meet potential, says Jeremy Rothery, Jackson Contracting.
By contrast, later-sown crops established on the peatland moving eastwards towards Morrinsville and north towards Taupiri have fared a lot better, with a crop harvested last week averaging 26 tonnes DM/ha.
Having started maize harvesting on Feb 26th, Rothery says "we've really had a dream run, with harvesters, trucks and trailers travelling well over the very dry ground, so much so that we will be putting the machines away by the 1st April".
There were worries over large clamps of silage and huge stocks of baleage, with very little demand.
Rothery notes that this season "has been the opposite, with stocks disappearing quickly and us having to turn potential customers away".
"This is leading to what I'd predict to be a potential feed shortage that is getting farmers worried as we move into winter. Already we are hearing stories of bales being trucked up from the Manawatu and farmers locking to sign contracts for maize and grass supply next year."
Rothery predicts that re-seeding equipment is poised for a busy time, but as yet, is being delayed by the rock-hard ground. Further south at Mangakino, in the South Waikato and to the west of Lake Taupo, farmer and contractor Phillip Parry notes that the season has, and continues to be very dry, with reduced crop yields and some de-stocking. Re-seeding is at a standstill, with very dry hard ground and a very real risk of non-germination, without substantial rain.
"It appears that we are seeing more dry seasons, but I worry that many farmers seem to be poor planners when it comes to handling the issue. In most years, we always plant an area of break crops such as swedes and turnips that provide feed after an extended dry spell," says Parry.
Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has waded into the debate around soaring butter prices, pointing out that the demand for dairy overseas dictates the price to farmers and at the supermarket.
Farmers are welcoming new Government proposals to make farm health and safety rules more practical and grounded in real-world farming.
Missing fresh mozzarella cheese made at home in Bari, southern Italy, Massimo Lubisco and his wife Marina decided to bring a taste of home to New Zealand.
An A$2 billion bid for Fonterra's Oceania business would be great news, according to Forsyth Barr senior analyst, equities, Matt Montgomerie.
Irish meat processor Dawn Meats is set to acquire a 70% stake in Alliance Group, according to a report in The Irish Times.
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