Lactalis in front to acquire Fonterra’s Australian dairy assets after ACCC clearance
The world's largest dairy company may be in pole position to acquire Fonterra's Australian assets.
Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has met with Fonterra Chairman John Wilson for a tour of a South Auckland dairy farm and also visited the company's Te Rapa manufacturing site.
Fonterra say the visit was an opportunity for Wilson to further strengthen the company's relationship with Thailand, where it is the number one supplier of dairy ingredients.
Wilson says Fonterra was honoured to host Shinawatra and provide her, and the Thai trade delegation with a deeper understanding of their business, and the New Zealand dairy industry.
"Thailand's overall dairy consumption is still relatively low at 20kg per person per year, compared to the world average of 110kg. However, with its increasingly affluent population we expect the demand for dairy products to grow, which makes it an important country for our growth in Asia," says Wilson.
The Thai trade delegation included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Surapong Tovichakchaikul and 20 Thai agri companies.
New Zealand milk production is off to a strong start, with the first month of the 2025/26 dairy season recording a whopping 17.8% jump in milk production, compared to the previous season.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
Keep up with innovation and e-commerce in China or risk losing market share. That was the message delivered at the China Business Summit in Auckland this month.
Meat Industry Association (MIA) independent chair Nathan Guy says getting meat processors involved has been a shot in the arm for the sector's key marketing initiative into China, Taste Pure Nature.
Listed carpet manufacturer, Bremworth is undertaking a $6 million expansion at its Napier plant more than two years after the site was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Federated Farmers is vowing to keep the big banks accountable for their actions and to continue pushing for meaningful change in the rural lending sector.
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