Wednesday, 11 June 2025 09:55

Tough trade

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Known for serious trade negotiations with global politicians, top NZ trade official Vangelis Vitalis also knows how to crack jokes.

He told this one at the recent DairyNZ Farmers Forum in Hamilton: A farmer found a bottle and he polished it and out pops a genie and says, "You've got two wishes". The farmer asks, "don't you normally give three". Yeah, but budget cuts, genie replies. So, the farmer answers, "Um, what I'd really like is, I don't like flying, and I'd like to have a motorway built all the way from New Zealand, all the way to Hawaii." The genie looks at him and says, "Look, that's just impossible - so ridiculously impossible. What's the second wish?"

The farmer says, "oh, okay. I'd like someone to explain to me international trade policy." And the genie looks at him and says, "Um, about that motorway, two lanes or four?"

More like this

Editorial: We are Trumped

OPINION: Nothing it seems can be done in the short term to get Donald Trump to change his mind about removing the unfair 15% tariffs that he’s imposed on New Zealand exports to the US.

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Featured

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Dreams aren't plans

OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery…

Fatberg

OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter