Bakers prefer butter, helping prices soar
Consumers around the world are willing to pay more for products containing dairy and this is driving demand for butter and cream, says Fonterra.
Immigration and Associate Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says migrant workers are a small but important part of the dairy industry workforce, filling gaps where not enough New Zealanders are available.
About 1500 migrant dairy workers – mostly from othe Philippines, now make up 6% of the workforce.
Migrant-worker demand has risen recently because of difficulty attracting and retaining local workers in some parts of rural New Zealand.
