Latin America may have been the unexpected cause of the GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) overall price index rising 1.7% last week against expectations, says ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny.

While Westland Milk Products suppliers and staff struggle through a tough season, milk processing goes on.

The 2017 New Zealand kiwifruit season is underway with the first ship, the Asian Adonis, set to sail to Shanghai this week with 840,000 trays of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit.

Butter is best when it’s made at Fonterra’s Clandeboye plant in the South Island.

Dairy prices stabilised in last night’s Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, rising 1.7% following a 9% fall over the previous two auctions.

Fonterra converted 4.9 billion liquid milk equivalents (LMEs) into higher returning products in the first quarter of the financial year, says director John Monaghan.

Dairy industry leader Andrew Hoggard supports the idea of opening Fonterra shares to overseas milk suppliers – but not townies.

Dairy farmers are being warned to keep a lookout for a common virus which may be becoming more virulent in New Zealand herds.

Fonterra is maintaining its forecast guidance but with a note of caution on some emerging headwinds, director John Monaghan says.

A major Westland Milk Products strategy is to increase the amount of value added products versus commodity milk powder.