Cheaper by the billion

Aside from the environmental degradation, one of the fears about dairy intensification in China was always, what happens when China can simply reproduce that same basic bargain bin milk powder product even more cheaply than NZ can?

Well, we got a glimpse last week.

A2 Milk Co, the global champion of A2 infant formula, this month lost $1 billion value of stock after China unveiled a plan to boost local output and reduce reliance on imports.

Under the new programme, China aims to exceed 60% self sufficiency in baby formula and improve the quality of domestic brands in its US$27 billion infant formula industry.