Co-op boosts chilled exports to China
Alliance Group has secured greater access for chilled beef exports to China, following approval for two of its processing plants to supply the market.
Markets for New Zealand lamb have performed strongly for the last six months, says Affco general manager Andy Leonard.
While some Brexit anxiety persists in the UK, other markets – Europe, the US, the Middle East and China -- have performed above expectations.
“Farmers should be lot happier with the state of play,” Leonard told Rural News.
He believes a shortage of lamb exports from Australia and NZ help explain the price rise. A “relatively consistent” exchange rate over the last six months is also helping farm returns.
Affco is one of NZ’s four large meat exporters; lamb and beef are its main exports.
“Lamb prices today are well above those at the same time last year; six months ago that didn’t look like happening.”
On the beef market, Leonard says it remains solid, backed by the US ground beef market holding up.
“Generally beef pricing is solid and consistent -- not too many fluctuations.”
In recent weeks most NZ meat plants have been processing cows culled by the dairy industry.
But with the dairy payout picking up, cull cow numbers are expected to drop.
Leonard says cull cow kill numbers are down 15% year-on-year. “Most beef plants would have been reasonably full but it will now start to drop off.”
Federated Farmers supports a review of the current genetic technology legislation but insists that a farmer’s right to either choose or reject it must be protected.
New Zealand’s top business leaders are urging the US Administration to review “unjustified and discriminatory tariffs” imposed on Kiwi exporters.
New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.
A global trade war beckons, which is bad news for a small open economy like New Zealand, warns Mark Smith ASB senior economist.
Carterton's Awakare Farm has long stood as a place where family, tradition and innovation intersect.
Fonterra says the US continues to be an important market for New Zealand dairy and the co-op.
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