Editorial: New Treeland?
OPINION: Forestry is not all bad and planting pine trees on land that is prone to erosion or in soils which cannot support livestock farming makes sense.
Export lamb and beef prices reached new highs in the September 2019 quarter, while forestry products fell sharply.
Both lamb and beef prices are at their highest-ever levels. In the September 2019 quarter, meat prices rose 4.8%, surpassing last quarter’s high, driven by higher prices for lamb (up 6.0%), and beef (up 5.4%).
Dairy product prices rose 8.9%, with milk powder up 9.6%, butter up 7.3%, and cheese up 6.2%.
Forestry product prices fell 9.7% in the September 2019 quarter, following a 1.9% fall last quarter. Forestry product volumes fell 5.5% and values fell 12%.
Seasonally adjusted export meat volumes were up 1.4% and values were up 8.0% in the September 2019 quarter. Lamb volumes fell 0.7% while values rose 7.9%. Beef volumes rose 2.9% and values were up 7.4%.
In total, export prices rose 1.9% in the September 2019 quarter to their highest in over 10 years, while import prices remained flat. The overall terms of trade remained at high levels, close to peaks seen in late 2017, when export prices for dairy and meat were also high.
Terms of trade is a measure of the purchasing power of New Zealand’s exports abroad and is an indicator of the state of the overall economy.
“Lamb and beef prices rose this year at the same time as international demand for meat increased,” says Stats NZ business price manager Bryan Downes.
“The higher demand for meat was largely due to the African swine fever outbreak in China, resulting in reduced pork supplies being substituted with alternatives.
“New Zealand consumers are also seeing higher meat prices – bacon and ham prices rose more than 20% for the year to October 2019,” says Downes.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.

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