NZ exports to EU surge by $3b under free trade deal, says Government
New Zealand exports to the European Union have surged by $3 billion in two years under the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement.
Fruit exporters helped boost wholesale trade sales in the June 2016 quarter, Statistics NZ says.
"Kiwifruit export values were at an all-time high in the months of May and June," business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly says. "It was also a good quarter for apple exporters."
When adjusted for seasonal effects, total wholesale trade sales rose 1.7% ($397 million) after small falls in the previous two quarters.
The largest industry increase was in grocery, liquor and tobacco wholesaling, which was up 2% ($152 million). Fruit exporters come under this category. The trend for this industry has been increasing steadily since mid-2013.
The trend for wholesale trade sales has generally been rising since the September 2009 quarter.
The actual value of wholesale trade sales was $23.6 billion in the June 2016 quarter, up $914 million (4%) from the June 2015 quarter.
Potatoes New Zealand has congratulated Peter Reynolds of TA Reynolds Ltd in Pukekohe on being awarded the Horticulture New Zealand Bledisloe Cup, recognising a lifetime of service and contribution to New Zealand horticulture.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).

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