Tuesday, 15 June 2021 14:00

Cracked China

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: Your old mate reckons Fonterra and its dairy farmer shareholders may well be all cock-a-hoop about the prospects of a near $8 payout this year and one north of $8 next year.

However, he suggests these giddy, high payouts mask a major issue the dairy co-op appears to be glossing over - the total, absolute failure of its Chinese investments.

Starting back with Fonterra's ill-fated investment in San Lu, followed by the disastrous Beingmate and China Farms ventures, billions and billions of shareholder funds have been lost.

Yet, no one - either on the board or from the executive of the dairy co-op - has ever been held accountable for these disasters.

Some blame former chief executive Theo Spierings.

Others point the finger at former chair John Wilson.

But that it is too easy, as a dead man cannot defend himself. What about the board directors and management at Fonterra who are still around?

More like this

Featured

EPA Approves Beetle to Tackle Chilean Flame Creeper

Environment Southland is welcoming this week’s decision by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to approve the release of Blaptea elguetai, a leaf‑feeding beetle that will help control the highly invasive Chilean flame creeper.

Celebrating Women in NZ’s Potato Industry

This March, the potato industry is proudly celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March alongside the International Year of the Woman Farmer, recognising the vital role women play across every part of the sector — from paddocks and packhouses to research, leadership, and innovation.

National

Remediation NZ Fined $71k Over Compost Site Odours

Remediation NZ (RNZ) has been fined more than $71,000 for discharging offensive odours described by neighbours as smelling like ‘faecal and pig effluent’ from its compositing site near Uruti in North Taranaki. 

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Penny Pinching

OPINION: A mate of yours truly reckons rural Manawatu families are the latest to suffer under what he calls the…

New Order

OPINION: If old Winston Peters thinks building trade relations with new nations, such as India, isn't a necessary investment in…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter