Dairy farmer profits to hit record levels in 2025
The profitability of dairy farmers is likely to increase in the coming year, accordign to the latest report by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the outlook for the primary sector.
PRICES FOR MILK, CHEESE, and eggs rose 4.2% in the December 2013 quarter, the highest quarterly rise since the September 2010 quarter.
The consumers price index (CPI) rose 0.1% in that quarter, Statistics New Zealand says. Higher international air fares and rising housing and dairy prices were partly countered by lower vegetable prices and cheaper petrol.
International air fares rose 12% in the December 2013 quarter – the highest quarterly rise since the December 2009 quarter.
Prices for housing and household utilities (up 0.5%) also rose, reflecting higher prices for property maintenance, purchase of newly built houses, and rentals for housing.
Vegetable prices (down 20%) fell in the December quarter, as they usually do. Prices for tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber were about half what they had been in the previous quarter.
Petrol prices fell 3.5% in the December quarter after a 5.6% rise in the September quarter, when they peaked at their highest level – an average of $2.17 per litre for 91 octane. The average price in the December quarter was $2.09 per litre.
The CPI increased 1.6% the year to the December 2013 quarter. This is the highest annual rise since the March 2012 quarter.
Almost half of the increase came from housing and household utility prices, which increased 3.2%. There were increases across the board: purchase of newly built houses (up 4.7%), housing rentals (up 2.1%), property maintenance (up 4.3%), household energy (up 2.4%), and property rates and related services (up 4.1%).
The CPI measures the rate of price change of goods and services purchased by New Zealand households. Statistics NZ visits 3,000 shops across New Zealand to collect prices for the CPI and check product sizes and features.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
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