Fonterra Expands China Foodservice Business with New Anchor Essence Cream
Fonterra is strengthening its foodservice presence in China with the launch of a new cream for professional bakeries at Bakery China 2026 in Shanghai.
Fonterra has passed the peak milk production this season without any hitches at its plants.
The co-op was expecting 90 million litres of milk daily at the peak, which normally runs between mid-October and end of October; milk supply has flattened at 88m L/day.
In recent years the co-op has been forced to dump buttermilk as milk supply exceeded production capacity at its plants.
Fonterra managing director global operations Robert Spurway told Rural News it had come "very very close" to peak milk target.
"Based on current weather and volume, we have passed the peak, only just," he says.
Spurway says milk supply has become flat at top of the curve; the co-op has been collecting 55 million litres of milk in the North Island and 33m L in the South Island at the peak.
He says milk supply has been strong, thanks to very good grass growth.
"In my talk with farmers, they seem to be very happy with grass growth.
"We have seen milk supply right through the shoulders of the season and leading up to the peak 5% ahead of forecast."
In advance of the Budget, Finance Minister Nicola Willis put a clear damper on expectations and delivered accordingly.
Farmers should be cautiously optimistic as the 2026/27 season kicks off, says DairyNZ.
RaboResearch senior analyst Emma Higgins expects the 2026/27 dairy season to be another profitable one.
The new dairy season is kicking off with plenty of risks to the forecast farmgate price, both upside and downside, says ANZ agricultural economist Matt Dilly.
A potential showdown between the top two Federated Farmers leaders looms at the farmer lobby's annual meeting later this month.
FarmIQ Systems has developed a free land management app to help remove barriers to New Zealand farmers and growers adopting digital tools.

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