MPI cuts 391 jobs
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
Fifty-three new orchards were reported as infected with Psa –V in the past week, a big jump from just five new infections for the week before.
The weekly report from Kiwifruit Vine Health says there are now 1030 orchards infected, which is 31% of all New Zealand kiwifruit orchards and 39% of all orchard hectarage.
The big increase this week in new Psa-V results reflects notifications recently reported by pack-houses from monitoring results collated over several weeks.
The new Psa-V identifications include 45 orchards in the Te Puke region and eight in the Tauranga region. The total number of orchards identified with Psa-V is 1030.
Psa-V has been found on Bay of Plenty orchards in the following areas: Te Puke (824); Tauranga (97); Whakatane (47); Opotiki (30); Katikati (13); Waihi (14); as well as in South Auckland on five orchards in Franklin. See www.kvh.org.nz/statistics.
The Coalition Government will need the support of at least one opposition party to ratify the free trade deal with India.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand.
At Pāmu’s Kepler Farm in Manapouri, mating has wrapped up at the across-breed Beef Progeny Test.
More than 150 people turned up at Parliament recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
Biosecurity New Zealand says Kiwis should continue to keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) over the holiday season.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.

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