Lower North Island farmers “cautiously optimistic” heading into winter – DairyNZ
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
TOTAL AGRICULTURAL export earnings for 2014-15 will be down 9.5%, warns the Ministry of Primary Industries.
Unsurprisingly, dairy export revenue will be down this year, but the drop will be partly offset by better-than-expected growth in other primary sectors, according to revised forecasts from MPI.
MPI released today a mid-year update on forecasts from its Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries 2014 (SOPI 2014), which was released in June.
The update revises the forecast for total primary industry export earnings to $34.6 billion for July 2014 to July 2015, a drop of 9.5% from record earnings of $38.2 billion in the previous year.
The main reason for the fall is a $4.2 billion drop in dairy export revenue, due largely to reduced demand as a result of Russian trade sanctions and high inventory levels in China.
Off-setting the dairy fall, market conditions for beef are likely to be strong for the next two years, says Jarred Mair, director sector policy.
"A combination of strong US demand and drought conditions in Australia mean that we have seen record lean beef prices this year.
MPI forecasts that meat and wool export revenue will rise by $518 million this year.
Mair also expects to see increases in export revenue from seafood, horticulture, arable, live animals, other agricultural and food products.
"We're seeing improved demand for New Zealand's top earning seafoods such as rock lobster, mussels and salmon.
"Another positive is Psa disease has had less impact on the Gold3 kiwifruit cultivar than initially thought, which has pushed up export volumes," says Mair.
Forestry sector export revenues are expected to return to growth in 2015-14 as demand for logs increases.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
OPINION: Spare a thought for the arable farmer, squeezed on one side by soft global prices and on the other…
OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…