The first step to successful wine making is managing the crop to an appropriate yield and fruit composition. This requires an understanding of the factors determining the various components of yield (number of shoots per hectare, the number of bunches per shoot and berries per bunch and the size of those berries).

An easterly airflow promised brief respite from the central South Island’s dry late last week but a drought-breaking weather system is desperately needed, farmers’ leaders and industry representatives say.

The Cricket World Cup is a ‘game opener’ for better business relations between India and New Zealand, says Sunil Kaushal, India New Zealand Business Council chairman.

Dairy farmers are still wary despite three successive lifts in global dairy auction prices.

A dairy farmer ‘dragging the chain’ on effluent management has let the team down, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard, commenting on a recidivist polluter who has copped a record fine for environment non-compliance in Taranaki.

Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. One is a Kiwi, born and bred on a sheep and beef farm and has gone back to the farm after 20 years. The other is a Chinese woman who had never been near a farm before a New Zealand visit and thinks cows and calves are “so cute”.

Zespri has no financial exposure to Dalian Yidu, the north-east Chinese importer who reportedly has had nine staff arrested by Chinese customs.

Australian farmers have joined health groups in opposing suggestions to apply GST to the sale of fresh food.

Would-be trustees must carefully weigh the risks versus rewards of accepting a role on a trust.

For several years Lincoln and Massey Universities, and private researchers and individuals, have promoted plantain, chicory, lucerne and red clover as an alternative to traditional rye grass and white clover.