First ever biofuel kiwifruit charter completed
Fresh Carriers Co. Ltd (FCC) and Zespri have completed the first ever kiwifruit charter powered by a low-emissions fuel.
Even with a free trade agreement you can have "enormous challenges" if you don't have authorities on each side of the border supporting the passage of goods, Prime Minister John Key says.
If New Zealand does not give exporters the sort of support and services that they need, it will make their lives very difficult, he told a China Business Summit in Auckland yesterday.
New Zealand is a long way away, "we are the last bus stop on the planet", he said.
"So the point where a New Zealand company says I am going to go to Shanghai or Beijing or some part of China to sell a product because I can see there are 1.3 billion consumers there that are rapidly becoming middle income, that's easy.
"The hard bit is the legal issues, the language issues, the accounting issues, the in-country support, where they pick a partner, where they can rely on a partner – all of those kinds of things are much more challenging and for a country like New Zealand that happens much earlier on in the development of that company.
"If they were in Australia they could move from one state to another, become a critical mass, then think about exporting. In New Zealand's case it is not always as easy as that."
Nevertheless he said the China story is a big success, based on underlying fundamental consumer demand.
The $5 billion of dairy product and the infant formula going into China reflects that China has 20 million babies a year. With a two child policy, that will increase, he said.
"We know they highly value the quality and safety of the New Zealand product," he said.
He says to get two-way trade between New Zealand and China to $30 billion by 2020 is possible but some changes are needed, including more investment.
Rural retailer Farmlands has launched a new casual clothing range available across 42 stores nationwide and through its online store.
Federated Farmers says the health and safety changes announced this week by the Government represent the start of overdue reforms.
The Government is calling on rural New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations designed to improve the management of farm plastic waste.
For many urban New Zealanders, stepping into Pāmu’s Pinta dairy farm near Taupo last month was the first time they had had the chance to experience farm life up close.
After tasting 240 New Zealand made cheeses, judges have bestowed medals upon 199 of the entries.
Bay of Plenty’s top share farmers Andre and Natalie Meier are no strangers to the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards winning circle.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
OPINION: If you believe Maori Party president John Tamihere’s claim that “nothing dodgy” occurred at Manurewa Marae during the last…