Thursday, 08 May 2025 11:55

We're OK!

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: Despite the volatility created by the shoot-from-the-hip trade tariff 'stratefy' being deployed by the new state tenants in the White House, farm commodity prices are holding their own.

The crash in U.S. bonds was the only guardrail that seemed to keep Trump's excess in check.

As investors and governments dumped US bonds (Canada and EU countries particularly using them as leverage in the trade war), the greenback devalued, pushing the relative value of the NZD up into the 60s.

Sharemarkets are all over the place and the geopolitical scene isn't great for confidence, to state the obvious.

And yet, as at 2 weeks ago, ASB reported lamb prices up 0.8%, beef up 0.4% and dairy up 2.1%.

And Stats NZ reckons March exports were excellent: dairy up 35%, meat up 34% and fruit up a whopping 74%.

More like this

Trump's tariffs

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports into the US is doing good things for global trade, according to Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay.

US removes reciprocal tariff on NZ beef

Red meat farmers and processors are welcoming a US Government announcement - removing its reciprocal tariffs on a range of food products, including New Zealand beef.

US tariffs hit European ag machinery markets

The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.

Featured

National

Rural bias?

OPINION: After years of ever-worsening results from our education system, the startling results from a maths acceleration programme stood out like…

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Yes, Minister!

OPINION: The release of the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill to replace the Resource Management Act is a red-letter day…

Two-legged pests

OPINION: Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ for ‘The Twelve Pests of Christmas’ to…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter