Meat Industry Association CEO to Step Down
The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) today announced that Chief Executive Officer Sirma Karapeeva has resigned from the role.
New Zealand's red meat sector exported $9.2 billion worth of products during 2020 – an increase of 1% on the previous year.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), NZ’s overall meat exports during the year reached historically high levels – 7% above 2018 exports ($8.6 billion) and 21% above 2017 ($7.6 billion).
The top 10 markets for New Zealand meat remained unchanged during 2020. China continued to be the major customer, with exports worth $3.3 billion, accounting for 36% of total exports for the year.
While exports to China were down from the record levels of 2019 ($3.7 billion), these were still 40% higher than during 2018 ($2.3 billion).
Exports to Germany and the Netherlands decreased by 8% and 21% respectively, but the value of exports to all other of NZ’s top markets increased.
Sheep meat exports rose by 3%, to just over 400,000 tonnes, with China the top market, followed by the UK and US. Exports to the UK increased 10% by value compared to 2019.
Beef exports rose in both volume and value, to 471,718 tonnes, worth $3.7 billion, with the US the top market, up 42% by value, to $1.4 billion. Beef exports to China dropped by 26%, compared to the record high levels of 2019, as other countries like Brazil increased their access to China. However, this was offset by an increase in exports to other markets.
The proposed retrenchment of Heinz Wattied's manufacturing presenced in New Zealand will be a blow to the wallets of more than 200 Canterbury vegetable growers.
The cost of running a New Zealand farm is now 27% higher than it was before Covid, putting sustained pressure on profitability acrfoss the sector, according to new ANZ research.
Rural contractors are getting guidance on how to deal with recent rising fuel prices.
An Ōpunake farmer with a poor effluent system has been fined $35,000 with a discount on the penalty discarded after he charged at a Taranaki Regional Council officer inspecting the ‘systematic problems’ on his farm.
The horticulture sector is under threat because of vulnerabilities of the country's transport infrastructure, according to a report commissioned by a collective representing a range of groups in the sector.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton says the meat processor wants to find ways of getting product destined for Middle East markets into those markets as opposed to try and place them elsewhere.

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