Milk Powder Prices Rally: $10/kgMS Milk Price in Sight
Milk powder prices are continuing their merry run, firming up a potential $10/kgMS farmgate price this season.
State farmer Pāmu (Landcorp) has announced it will pay a $10 million special dividend to the Crown off the back of a strong outlook for the business and a capital repayment of $9.5 million following Fonterra's consumer business sale.
The special dividend is separate from Pāmu’s standard dividend policy and reflects a non-operating capital receipt, rather than core trading activity.
Including the special dividend, Pāmu will have paid $25 million in dividends to the Crown in the 2025/26 financial year.
Mark Leslie, chief executive of Pāmu, says the payment is reflective of disciplined capital management and continued balance sheet resilience.
"Strong performance across the business has delivered a net operating profit of $26 million at the half year, with Pāmu on track for a record full-year profit of between $97 million and $107 million," Leslie says.
"As we reach the midpoint of our five-year reset, this performance has given the board confidence to make this payment," he adds.
Leslie says that in the past three years the state farmer has focused on lifting on-farm performance, improving productivity, and running a tighter, more disciplined business.
"The results we're seeing reflect the commitment and hard work of our teams across the country," he says.
"As a State-Owned Enterprise, Pāmu manages its land and farming portfolio to deliver a financial return, return land under Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlements, and grow the future of agriculture for generations of New Zealanders," Leslie says.
"Our strong commercial performance requires high people, environmental, and animal welfare outcomes, as well as responsibility for the communities in which we operate."
Farmers have until the end of this week to help shape DairyNZ’s future focus.
Wayne McNee, chief executive of AgriZeroNZ, has resigned and will leave the organisation on 15 January 2027.
The New Zealand dairy sector set a record in the 2025/26 season, producing more than two billion kilograms of milksolids for the first time.
Milk powder prices are continuing their merry run, firming up a potential $10/kgMS farmgate price this season.
Teachers are welcoming the outgoing Government’s U-turn allowing agriculture and horticultural science to remain a standalone Year 11 subject.
Outgoing ACT MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron says Saturday’s election result reflects voters deeply impacted by the cost of living.

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