Fonterra bosses’ mission to sell the $4.2b divestment plan
Fonterra chair Peter McBride, fellow directors and the management team, will front up farmer shareholders next week to explain the metrics around the proposed $4.22 billion divestment plan.
The 2015/16 kiwifruit season has broken records for the industry and Zespri.
It produced the biggest-ever total return to growers, highest-ever Green return per hectare and record sales volumes for both Zespri Green and Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit.
Zespri chairman Peter McBride says total sales revenue for the season also grew to hit $1.9 billion, up 21% from the previous season.
The total fruit and service payment to growers for New Zealand-grown fruit increased 22% on the previous year to $1.143 billion, with average return per hectare reaching a record $60,758.
"Zespri sold 131.6 million trays in the 2015/16 season, up 21% on the previous season. New Zealand-grown kiwifruit sales hit 117 million trays – nearly 22 million trays more than the previous year – and 14.5 million trays of non-New Zealand kiwifruit," says McBride.
With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.
The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) has launched the first in-market activation of the refreshed Taste Pure Nature country-of-origin brand with an exclusive pop-up restaurant experience in Shanghai.
Jayna Wadsworth, daughter of the late New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, has launched an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise funds for I Am Hope's youth mental health work.
As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.

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