Milk Powder Prices Prop Up Farmgate Milk Price
Milk powder prices are keeping farmgate prices up, helping processors offset the dip in milk fat prices.
ANZ says the latest cut to its floating rates will be welcome news to many of its business and agri customers still feeling the effects of high inflation and interest rates.
ANZ NZ managing director for business and agri, Lorraine Mapu says most business and agri customers are on floating rates so changes should flow to them “fairly quickly”.
Following the Reserve Bank’s decision to cut the official cash rate (OCR) by 50 basis points this morning, ANZ cut its business floating rates a further 40-basis points, resulting in a total 55-basis point cut for the month after the bank earlier trimmed rates by 15-basis points.
“Since rates started to drop – both wholesale and the OCR – we’ve announced 135-basis points in cuts to our business and agri customers,” says Mapu. In that time, the OCR has fallen by 125-basis points.
Mapu says most of ANZ NZ’s business and agri customers were on floating rates so the changes should flow through to them relatively quickly, giving some debt relief and helping with cashflow.
Farmer-owned fertiliser company, Ballance Agri Nutrients is welcoming National’s plan to negotiate security agreements with key supplier countries to protect New Zealand-bound products from export restrictions and greater supply chain certainty.
Carrfields has announced the appointment of Stu Hall to the newly created role of chief operating officer, Carrfields Ltd, reflecting the continued growth of their agribusinesses and the need to ensure the company has the leadership capacity and support in place as it pursues the emerging opportunities ahead.
New Zealand's role is not to compete with Indian growers, according to NZ Apples and Pears.
The potato industry is celebrating the success of two rising stars - James Blair, the 2026 Young Grower of the Year and runner-up and innovation award winner, Amber Davy.
Twenty-eight emerging leaders from across the horticulture sector spent two days last month learning valuable skills and connecting with industry experts.
There are five entrants in this year’s Young Horticulturist of the Year, competing in a series of technical, practical, business and leadership challenges.

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