Red meat exports slump, thanks to China
Weaker pricing and demand from China continue to impact New Zealand red meat export earnings.
The Wood Council of New Zealand says the forest and wood processing industry is happy the TPP.
The deal will remove tariffs on wood products across the 12 TPP countries.
"We have yet to see the detail, but we understand that all tariffs on logs and wood products will be reduced to zero. That represents a $9 million saving," says Wood Council chair Bill McCallum.
"While this is not a huge sum in the context of a trade worth $1.5 billion, we anticipate there will be bigger prizes arising from the TPP Agreement."
McCallum says the TPP has focused on tariff reduction and elimination, however with wood products the Council suspects that non-tariff barriers are a much greater impediment to trade.
"Technical barriers that have no scientific justification can prevent the import or use of imported wood products. Subsidies enjoyed by domestic wood processors can also make it impossible for imports to compete fairly."
The Council says the TPP will help exporters of NZ processed wood products who have struggled in the past to compete in markets where they have been excluded by tariffs that escalate rapidly as value is added to a raw material.
"These lost opportunities are not included in the $9 million saving, because current tariffs make exports unprofitable." says McCallum.
One of Fonterra’s global customers, Mars is launching an ambitious sustainable dairy plan to work with dairy farmers and cut emissions by 50%.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
The world's largest wool scouring facility, WoolWorks Awatoto plant in Napier, is back operating at full capacity.
A year on and the problems created by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle has largely dropped off the radar of media and politicians.
Feeling forgotten and in a fragile space financially and mentally.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.