Confidence in long-term market-led strategy
Farmers should have confidence in the long term value of Silver Fern Farms market-led strategy.
Shanghai Maling's investment of $360m into Silver Fern Farms in return for 50% ownership is a game changer into a complex market, says SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton.
The can bring some real value to the company on a number of fronts, he told a China Business Summit in Auckland today. They are 38% owned by Bright Food, one of the largest food conglomerates in China.
"We visited an enormous inland customs clearance business in the middle of Shanghai which is very exciting for us in terms of our ability to bypass the port clearance system so we think that will give us a quite exciting opportunity," Hamilton said.
"Secondly Shanghai Maling have the largest fresh pork distribution business in Shanghai so they know how to handle chilled product, they have their own trucks. So in terms of partnering with someone who understands that part of the supply chain, we believe that has got great opportunity.
"Thirdly between themselves and Bright they have over 6000 supermarkets. So trying to get in into a very complex part of the end market, the opportunity to leverage those supermarket will put us in a unique position."
Fourthly they have a direct to home business now, he said.
A verbal stoush has broken out between Federated Farmers and a new group that claims to be fighting against cheaper imports that undermine NZ farmers.
According to the latest ANZ Agri Focus report, energy-intensive and domestically-focused sectors currently bear the brunt of rising fuel, fertiliser and freight costs.
Having gone through a troublesome “divorce” from its association and part ownership of AGCO, Indian manufacturer TAFE is said to be determined to be seen as a modern business rather than just another tractor maker from the developing world.
Two long-standing New Zealand agricultural businesses are coming together to strengthen innovation, local manufacturing capability, and access to essential farm inputs for farmers across the country.
A new farmer-led programme aimed at bringing young people into dairy farming is under way in Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
The Government has announced changes to stock exclusion regulations which it claims will cut unnecessary costs and inflexible rules while maintaining environmental protections.

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