Bank warning over dairy debt
Bank warning over dairy debt
The level of debt held by the rural sector has doubled in five years, prompting the Reserve Bank to warn some heavily indebted dairy farmers they face selling all or some of their operations.
Neal Wallace
Synlait plans share float
Synlait plans share float
Investors will get their first exposure to the New Zealand dairy industry after an announcment yesterday that Canterbury dairy farmer and processor Synlait Milk plans a public share float to raise between $150 million and $170 million.
Alliance Group surplus $42 million
Alliance Group surplus $42 million
The Alliance Group has cemented itself as one of New Zealand's most profitable meat companies by announcing a steady profit on increased revenue for the last financial year.
Work needed to avoid return to 'debt-fuelled housing cycle'
Work needed to avoid return to 'debt-fuelled housing cycle'
Further change was needed to the economy to avoid a return to "a debt-fuelled housing cycle", according to Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard.
Top lamb for NZ market
Top lamb for NZ market
Export quality lamb in consumer-ready packs will be available in 160 supermarkets across New Zealand before Christmas, as Silver Fern Farms eyes a slice of the $320 million retail lamb market.
Fonterra dairy payout up almost 20% to $6.05
Fonterra dairy payout up almost 20% to $6.05
Interest in converting farms to dairying is likely to be rekindled by an almost 20% increase in the price Fonterra expected to pay dairy farmers for milk this season.
Meat companies unlikely to fill gap
Meat companies unlikely to fill gap
The likely ending of generic lamb promotion in Europe was a loss to the meat industry, according to Alliance Group chief executive Grant Cuff.
SFF defends its premium payments
SFF defends its premium payments
Silver Fern Farms has defended the payment of premiums for certain breeds of lamb, saying the market paid more for certain animals which met certain criteria.
Geese-cull cost-sharing proposed
Geese-cull cost-sharing proposed
Fish and Game Otago wants farmers to pay a share of the cost of any Canada geese culls, in a new management plan it proposes for the bird.
Water sustains new generation of farmers
Water sustains new generation of farmers
The definition of sustainability tends to reflect the views of the person using the word.
Government spending $10 million on ocean oil exploration
Government spending $10 million on ocean oil exploration
The oil-producing potential of the southern ocean will become clearer this summer with the work of seismic survey vessel MV Bergen Resolution.
Meat industry hit by $6.3 million cuts
Meat industry hit by $6.3 million cuts
Funding for the promotion of sheep meat and beef has been cut by $1.35 million and the future of shearer and woolhandler training is in limbo after Meat and Wool New Zealand slashed $6.3 million from its budget this week.
Fulton Hogan buyback possible
Fulton Hogan buyback possible
Directors of infrastructure company Fulton Hogan are yet to decide if they will buy back Shell's shareholding in its New Zealand and Australian businesses.
Fonterra to look at forecast milk price
Fonterra to look at forecast milk price
Fonterra may lift its forecast milk price next week on the back of strengthening dairy markets, evident by prices lifting at yesterday's Fonterra globalDairyTrade and measured by the ANZ commodity price index.
Volatility of NZ dollar a hiccup prior to firming
Volatility of NZ dollar a hiccup prior to firming
Exporters should not get carried away thinking the New Zealand dollar's shedding of US1.07c yesterday was permanent.
Fonterra fine-tunes restructure plan
Fonterra fine-tunes restructure plan
Fonterra has made minor changes to its three-step capital restructuring package after consulting shareholders.
Merino wool prices ease as value rises
Merino wool prices ease as value rises
Merino wool prices eased at sales on both sides of the Tasman last week, while a lower exchange rate saw crossbred wool prices rise at the South Island sale in Christchurch.
Integration the key to success
Integration the key to success
The Scotts were forced to quit their hind herd because of Johne's disease, but little did they know that integrating a weaner-finishing operation with sheep and cattle on their Southland farm could have worked so well.
23 jobs lost as Meat and Wool restructures
23 jobs lost as Meat and Wool restructures
All but one of the 23 jobs being lost at Meat and Wool New Zealand are based at the board's Wellington head office.
SFF shares down 30% at 70c
SFF shares down 30% at 70c
Shares in newly listed meat co-operative Silver Fern Farms shed nearly a third of their value in the first week of appearing on the Unlisted exchange.