An industry-backed trip to Asia has given Otago farmers Blair and Jane Smith a deeper understanding of the challenges facing marketers of New Zealand meat and dairy products.

A slightly weaker NZ dollar, restricted wool supply and recent dearer wool markets in other countries aided the lift for most types at this weeks' South Island auction, says WSI's marketing executive, Paul Steel.

THE MAORI dairy company Miraka, Taupo, has signed a multi-million dollar joint venture deal to produce UHT milk for the new owners of the Crafar farms, Shanghai Pengxin.

OUR CHINA export story needs to “get a harder edge”, moving from talk to execution, says ANZ’s chief economist Cameron Bagrie.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has signed a strategic plan on promoting agricultural cooperation between New Zealand and China.

Fonterra has announced senior management changes in its Asia Pacific Middle East Africa (APMEA) business unit, including the departure of the existing managing director APMEA and the appointment of a new managing director for Australia.

The 15,000 bales of South Island wool on offer this week saw an 82% clearance and a generally dearer market overall, fully recovering from the previous weeks' North Island softer sale on April 18.

ONE OF the world’s biggest dairy companies has broken ground on a site for a factory in the South Island.

THE MAORI dairy company Miraka, at Taupo, stole the limelight on John Key’s trade mission to China last week in Shanghai when it signed a joint venture deal to produce UHT milk for the new owners of the Crafar farms, Shanghai Pengxin.

DIFFERENT PRIMARY industries may need to work together to reduce shipping costs, says Pipfruit New Zealand chairwoman Nadine Tunley, Nelson.