Trump tariffs
OPINION: Former politicians seem incapable of staying away from the limelight after they retire.
New Zealand is in the process of renegotiating the free trade agreement with China, Prime Minister John Key says.
He told a China Business Summit in Auckland today that FTA has been so massively successful; we have done a lot better than most parties thought.
"We are in the process of renegotiating the FTA. I think it is very important; it is the next milestone."
Chinese ambassador to New Zealand Wang Lutong said we will be the first developed nation to renegotiate a bi-lateral agreement with China.
Key said two-way investment would be very important and the next step in the relationship.
Talking about Fonterra's decision to invest into Chinese infant formula company Beingmate Key said the Chinese company is a massive player and Fonterra is a huge global player. "If you want access to international markets you want integration and you want it fast."
With the infant baby formula, there had been changes from the Chinese Government which had seen some consolidation. He said the market was growing rapidly and there won't be lots and lots of players, there would be a few.
The annual domestic utilisation of wool will double to 30,000 tonnes because of the edict that government agencies should use woollen fibre products in the construction of new and refurbished buildings.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: In the same way that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, economists sometimes get it right.
OPINION: The proposed RMA reforms took a while to drop but were well signaled after the election.