Ah Tatua, You've Done It Again!
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
It seems other dairy processors in New Zealand and elsewhere are doing fine while Fonterra struggles to keep its head above water.
With the co-op’s financial woes well documented everywhere, reports of record results from others mean one thing: Fonterra’s strategy has been wrong all these years.
Look at Arla Foods, a European co-op nearly the same size as Fonterra. It’s total revenues for the six months ending June rose nearly NZ$9 billion -- NZ$25 million higher than the same period last year, backed by a 4.6% rise in branded product sales and higher sales prices. Net profit share for 2019 is expected to be in the target range of 2.8-3.2% of revenue.
And at home, Synlait reported an increase in profit to $82.2m, plus a total average milk price of $6.58/kgMS off revenue that exceeded $1 billion for the first time.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.