Loss of farmer confidence feared
Loss of farmer confidence feared
Fonterra suppliers continue to support the dairy giant's overseas expansion strategy, but their council is nervous the melamine issue in China may have eroded farmer confidence.
Neal Wallace
Dairy company eyes 2010 start-up
Dairy company eyes 2010 start-up
Construction of a new milk-processing plant near Gore could begin next year after being postponed last month due to the international financial crisis.
Resetting balance on gender, poverty issues
Resetting balance on gender, poverty issues
Former Dunedin woman Amanda Ellis is using her business knowledge to spearhead attempts to fight the twin global injustices of poverty and gender inequality.
South Island companies lose $100m
South Island companies lose $100m
More than $100 million in market capitalisation was wiped off publicly listed South Island companies in October, but they appear to have weathered the economic turmoil better than those in the North Island.
Board seeks to delist
Board seeks to delist
The Dunedin manufacturer of a biological disease to combat a grape-wasting fungus has requested the stock be delisted from the New Zealand Stock Exchange.
Report says dairy prices to remain volatile
Report says dairy prices to remain volatile
Global dairy prices had entered a new era and while easing in the short term, would remain higher than their long-term average and resume increasing again in 12 to 18 months, according to a new report by specialist rural banker Rabobank.
China's dairy consumption falls by 50%
China's dairy consumption falls by 50%
Consumption of dairy products in China fell by up to 50% in September following the melamine milk contamination scare and could take years to fully recover, according to Rabobank.
French retailer, SFF seal contract
French retailer, SFF seal contract
Silver Fern Farms-labelled lamb will be displayed in the chiller cabinets of nearly 1400 Intermache supermarkets in France this season, in what the meat company says is a New Zealand first.
5900% rent rise if farm was not sold
5900% rent rise if farm was not sold
The lessees of St James Station in North Canterbury faced a 5900% increase in rent should they have opted not to sell the property to the Crown.
Taieri farmers $2m out of pocket
Taieri farmers $2m out of pocket
Udo and Leigh Anne Fuehrer may be $2 million poorer than a month ago, but the Taieri farmers remain upbeat and positive about their prospects.
Container service to link port
Container service to link port
Port Otago will once again be included in a domestic coastal shipping service, with news yesterday Pacifica Shipping is to start a weekly container service linking the port.
Meat deal off, but closer ties on the cards
Meat deal off, but closer ties on the cards
Sliver Fern Farms (SFF) has once again raised the possibility of working more closely with rival Alliance Group, after yesterday terminating its partnership agreement with PGG Wrightson.
Unemployment expected to grow
Unemployment expected to grow
Record wage and salary growth for the past year could be followed by a period of growing unemployment.
Syndicate wins right to graze
Syndicate wins right to graze
Sheep can continue to be grazed on at least one of two syndicated Crown-owned grazing blocks on the Ida Range in the Maniototo, after the High Court at Dunedin found the farming syndicate's landlord had reneged on an earlier decision to allow continued grazing.
Tough going at wool sales as market shrinks
Tough going at wool sales as market shrinks
The news does not improve for the country's wool industry, with sales last week on both sides of the Tasman finding the going tough because of the global financial crisis.
Farmers 'happy and relieved' that ruling allows grazing
Farmers 'happy and relieved' that ruling allows grazing
High country farmers say a High Court decision in their favour shows the Government was not acting in good faith and ministers and their agencies were abusing legal processes.
Silver Fern $51m profit exceeds expectations
Silver Fern $51m profit exceeds expectations
Silver Fern Farms is back in the black, the meat company reporting a better-than-expected $51.2 million net profit for the last financial year, a $120 million turn-around in its accounts.
Fonterra confident of $6.60 payout
Fonterra confident of $6.60 payout
Fonterra remained confident it would meet its $6.60 a kg of milk solids forecast payout for this season, despite a sharp correction in prices and the international financial crisis.
Costs fall but timber trade edgy
Costs fall but timber trade edgy
Forest product exporters have seen a marked improvement in markets but are being conservative given the international uncertainty.
Fears but NZ prices holding
Fears but NZ prices holding
The world is headed towards a recession which many fear could ankle-tap a recovery in some of our key farm commodities. Agribusiness Editor Neal Wallace reports that while the future may be rocky, so far our key exports are showing some resilience.