RWNZ chief executive to step down
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) chief executive Gabrielle O’Brien will step down at the end of June.
The virtual collapse of the international food service sector may have an adverse effect of some exports of New Zealand meat.
According to the country’s former Special Trade Envoy, Mike Petersen, it will be a long time before the food service sector bounces back. He told Rural News that that a lot of NZ companies have been rightly chasing high-value markets with a focus on the food service sector.
“I believe there will be a lot of casualties in that space in the international markets, ranging from master importers, who are supplying restaurants and cafes, through to retail customers themselves,” Petersen says.
“The collapse of the food servicing sector will really hurt and the fact that we are heading into the holiday season in the northern hemisphere where there won’t be a tourist season this year is going to make demand quite subdued.”
Petersen says two of the casualties – in terms of product – are likely to be venison and premium cuts of lamb, which tend to go into the fine dining restaurants and cafes. He says the high-priced cuts are going to be challenging to sell.
However, he says on the positive side lower priced meats will likely come through the COVID-19 crisis well. He points to the example of beef and says because it is seen as a comfort food, prices could potentially rise.
“People will be looking for the likes of hamburgers, takeaways and meat that can easily be cooked at home.”
Petersen says given the chaos in the US market, there may be some short-term opportunities for gaps to be filled by NZ meat, while processing plants there are closed due to COVID. He says there are also promising signs in China as that market opens up.
Petersen says the outlook for apples and kiwifruit also looks good as consumers seek healthy foods. He also acknowledges though that dairy prices, especially for high value consumer products, may be down.
“My big concern remains what will happen in the light of the collapse of the food service sector around the world and what impact that may have on NZ in the coming season,” he says.
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
World Veterinary Day falls on Saturday 27 April.
The Director General of MPI, Ray Smith says it's important for his department to celebrate the success of a whole range of groups and people around the country.
A small company which mobilised veterinarians around the country to deal with Mycoplasma bovis was one of the winners in this year's Biosecurity Awards, held at Parliament.
One of the country's top Māori sheep and beef farms is facing a five-year battle to get back to where it was before Cyclone Gabrielle struck just over 14 months ago.