UAE FTA signed
New Zealand’s free trade deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has now been signed.
The Chinese Government has unveiled a major stimulus package to revive flagging economic growth, so will this help New Zealand food and fibre exports to the lucrative market?
Rabobank dairy analyst Emma Higgins believes it's still early days.
"We will need to see fundamental positive change to income for consumers and also increase confidence within China before we can get excited about this stimulus package having a significant impact on our food and fibre exports," she told Rural News.
"These announcements are a step in the right direction for these fundamentals to change, however, it's early days."
Adopting a suite of measures to reduce borrowing costs, the People's Bank of China cut interest rates on existing mortgages by 0.5 percentage points and supported new lending by reducing the level of reserve banks must set aside before making loans.
Last week's Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction saw whole milk powder prices rise 3% to US$3559/tonne, its highest average price on the platform for the past 24 months.
NZ dairy analyst Rosalind Crickett says future prices could be linked to the Chinese stimulus package.
"Looking ahead, there are a variety of factors at play to keep an eye on, particularly with the economic stimulus efforts by the Chinese government and the implications it will have on its domestic production and imports."
Whole milk powder prices on Global Dairy Trade (GDT) remains above long run averages and a $10/kgMS milk price for the season remains on the card, says ASB senior economist Chris Tennent-Brown.
North Canterbury dairy farmer and recently elected deputy chair of DairyNZ, Cameron Henderson is not afraid to break the mould when it comes to finding farming systems that work for him.
Former Fonterra director Marise James says the future of the dairy industry depends upon the direction of travel with respect to climate change.
Marise James describes her 38-year career as a rural and farmer advisor as one that has ridden the waves of many changes.
Farmers are calling for Kiwi banks and their overseas parent companies need to follow the lead of America's six biggest banks and urgently withdraw from the Net Zero Banking Alliance.
Dairy farmers are faring well despite data showing above average temperatures for most of the country.
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