Tuesday, 01 October 2024 12:25

Dairy giant

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Part of the reason China is buying less of our dairy produce is their success growing their own supply.

It increased its self-sufficiency in milk production by 11 million metric tons/year from 2018 to 2023, or effectively as much as Australia’s current annual production.

China’s annual domestic production is now in the order of 40 billion litres of milk.

The country’s WMP imports plunged from an average of 820,000 metric tons in 2021 to a mere 430,000 metric tons in 2023.

More than half of that drop was at NZ’s expense – the downside to being the biggest supplier of WMP to China.

Aussie and Kiwi farmers once got good money for Friesian heifers to the China live export market but it certainly helped boost growth of their domestic supply.

More like this

Seaweed wonder

OPINION: Research across the ditch has found that seaweed doesn’t just make a tasty wrap for sushi rolls.

Sour grapes

OPINION: As a country we should be celebrating Fonterra’s solid annual results announced last week.

Speedy chair

OPINION: Federated Farmers and its members don’t have much love for regulations-obsessed regional councils.

Featured

Working together, leading change

A group of Canterbury farmers who work together exploring the various uses of liquid injection systems on their seed drills was the worthy winner of the Working Together Award at the recent 2024 Arable Awards, says the group’s FAR Facilitator.

AR37 scientist scoops award

A scientist instrumental in the development and commercialisation of the novel endophyte AR37 scooped the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science and Research Award at Beef + Lamb NZ Awards last night.

Editorial: Smithfield closure just the start?

OPINION: Rural New Zealand has been taking some very big hits of late. The latest of these, the closure of Alliance’s Smithfield plant at Timaru, is yet another blow for the heartland – the engine room of the economy.

National

Machinery & Products

Quick, accurate access to data

Agri-tech company Precision Farming is linking with John Deere’s Operations Centre guidance technology to automate nutrient and spray record-keeping and…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Seaweed wonder

OPINION: Research across the ditch has found that seaweed doesn’t just make a tasty wrap for sushi rolls.

Sour grapes

OPINION: As a country we should be celebrating Fonterra’s solid annual results announced last week.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter