NZ dairy sector eyes inclusion in India free trade deal
The dairy sector is hopeful of being part of a free trade deal being hammered out between New Zealand and India.
Trade Minister Todd McClay will take the opportunity at this weekend's G20 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Shanghai to promote New Zealand's trade interests with the biggest economies in the world.
"New Zealand's invitation to be part of the G20 process demonstrates the mutually shared value of our relationship with China, and the standing which New Zealand has built up over decades as a proponent of an open world trade system," says McClay.
"We are grateful to China for the invitation and I look forward to meeting my counterparts from G20's host nation."
"It is also an opportunity to talk to representatives from the United Kingdom and the European Union about post-Brexit relationships as the implications of the UK's recent referendum vote to leave the European Union are being considered.
"I have already confirmed a meeting with the EU Trade Commissioner Cecelia Malmström and Lord Price, the UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, to discuss the best way to protect and advance our trade interests with both parties.
"I look forward to frank and fruitful discussions with my international colleagues discussing a range of topics, including ways to achieve a successful outcome of the next WTO Ministerial meeting in 2017."
McClay will also travel to Beijing and Hangzhou for a series of meetings with New Zealand and Chinese businesses and investors. He will visit the Alibaba Headquarters in Hangzhou to discuss future cooperation with New Zealand exporters. This meeting will be an opportunity to build on the memorandum of understanding that was signed between New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Alibaba in April this year.
New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) has launched a new initiative designed to make it easier for employers to support their young team members by covering their NZYF membership.
Sheep infant nutrition maker Blue River Dairy is hoping to use its success in China as a springboard into other markets in future.
Plentiful milk supplies from key producer countries are weighing down global dairy prices.
The recent windstorm that cut power to dairy farms across Southland for days has taught farmers one lesson – keep a generator handy on each farm.
The effects of the big windstorm of late October will be felt in lost production in coming weeks as repair crews work through the backlog of toppled irrigation pivots, says Culverden dairy farmer Fran Gunn.
With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.

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