increase font size
The value of goods exports were up 2.5% to $4 billion for February this year but some main commodities fell.
The value of goods exports were up 2.5% to $4 billion for February this year but some main commodities fell.
Beef, lamb, and milk powder were just some of the falling commodities; as a result the rise was limited, says Statistics New Zealand.
The 2.5% rise equated to $96 million more than February 2015.
This month saw rises for a range of commodities, including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs (up 23%), and wine (up 34%), international statistics senior manager Stuart Jones says.
But other primary produce exports had mixed results. Milk fats (including butter) and cheese both had increases in value and quantity while other components of dairy, including milk powder, fell in value (quantity showed little change). Beef and lamb exports both fell in value, with the quantity of beef falling 7.8% and the quantity of lamb rising 4.6%.
Imports rose $108 million (2.8%) to $3.9 billion in February 2016, compared with February 2015. Consumption goods led the rise, up $121 million (12%), with the largest increases being pharmaceuticals, toys, and sporting equipment.
In February 2016 there was a goods trade surplus of $72 million (1.8% exports).
A Hawke's Bay apple orchardist supports the Government's objective of doubling exports but says this won't happen in the horticulture sector unless there's a change in the process for bringing new plant material into the country.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) says a new report projects strong export growth for New Zealand's horticulture sector highlights the industry's increasing contribution to the national economy.
Global trade wars and uncertain tariff regimes could play into the hands of many New Zealand exporters, according to Gareth Coleman ANZ’s Head of Trade & Supply Chain.
A new Indonesian school milk programme is expected to significantly increase the country's total dairy consumption, creating opportunities for New Zealand and other global dairy players.
Horticultural prices are set to remain elevated this year, reflecting the balance between demand in key export markets and an increase in supply.
While the District Field Days brought with it a welcome dose of sunshine, it also attracted a significant cohort of sitting members from the Beehive – as one might expect in an election year.
Irish Minister of State of Agriculture, Noel Grealish was in New Zealand recently for an official visit.
While not all sibling rivalries come to blows, one headline event at the recent New Zealand Rural Games held in Palmerston North certainly did, when reigning World Champion Jack Jordan was denied the opportunity of defending his world title in Europe later this year, after being beaten by his big brother’s superior axle blows, at the Stihl Timbersports Nationals.
AgriZeroNZ has invested $5.1 million in Australian company Rumin8 to accelerate development of its methane-reducing products for cattle and bring them to New Zealand.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
A bull on a freight plane sounds like the start of a joke, but for Ian Bryant, it is a fond memory of days gone by.
OPINION: If you ask this old mutt, the choice at the next election isn't shaping up as a contest of…
OPINION: A mate of yours says we're long overdue for a reckoning on what value farmers really get for the…
