HortNZ Board Election 2025: Growers urged to vote before 10 July deadline
Commercial fruit and vegetable growers are being encouraged to cast their votes in the Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) board directors' election.
Supermarkets shouldn't be seen as villians when it comes to competition and returns in the retail sector, says former Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman.
He says supermarkets are a core part of our business.
"Without the supermarket, we don't sell," he told Rural News.
"It's not about saying you've done bad or you've done good, it's about how we can change the dynamics for the future," he says.</p.
Chapman says the recent Commerce Commission review into supermarkets provides an opportunity where the whole supply chain - retailers, distributors and growers - all have a fair share.
"We are looking for a positive outcome where consumers and growers can get the deal they deserve," he says.
Chapman supports a code of conduct for fresh produce and believes there's wide support for a code within the sector.
The Commerce Commission has released its report after reviewing competition in the $22 billion a year grocery industry. It found Foodstuffs and Woolworths duopoly is making super-profits - in excess of 20% return on their capital - at the expense of both food suppliers and customers.
The Government is inviting submissions from stakeholders on the commission’s report before deciding how it will try to improve competition.
Opening the HortNZ Conference in Hamilton, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor assured fruit and vegetable growers that the Government will uphold their interests.
He pointed out that sponsorship doesn’t give supermarkets right to suppression.
“We have healthy comp across economy in all areas of supply and demand ad its Commerce Commission’s role to ensure that”.
Countdown was a platinum sponsor of conference.
Foodstuffs and Woolworths have cornered 90% of the grocery market through owning all of NZ's biggest supermarket brands – New World, Pak'nSave, Countdown, Four Square and Supervalue.
Sheep and beef farmers are urging the Government to do more to stop productive farmland overrun by pine trees.
Auckland’s Eventfinda Stadium saw New Zealand’s top butchers recognized at the National Butchery Awards.
According to the latest Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Stock Number Survey, sheep numbers have fallen by 1% while beef cattle numbers rose by 4.4%.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand says it is seeing strong farmer interest in its newly launched nProve Beef genetics tool, with early feedback and usage insights confirming its value in helping farmers make better breeding decisions and drive genetic improvement in New Zealand's beef herd.
The Innovation Awards at June's National Fieldays showcased several new ideas, alongside previous entries that had reached commercial reality.
To assist the flower industry in reducing waste and drive up demand, Wonky Box has partnered with Burwood to create Wonky Flowers.
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