Latest from Agribusiness

MyFarm launches $5m kiwifruit orchard

New Zealand farm investment company MyFarm, which up until now has specialised in the pastoral sector, has weighed into kiwifruit with the launch of a $5 million orchard syndicate.

Co-ops need growth cash

Growing global market opportunities and the need to strengthen supply chains are creating a thirst for capital among agricultural co-operatives around the world, rural lending specialist Rabobank said.

Fonterra 'on track' to hit payout

Fonterra chief financial officer Lukas Paravicini rejects the notion that the co-operative is playing safe in keeping this season's farm gate milk price forecast at $4.70 a kilogram of milksolids.

Trade balance turns to surplus on slower import growth

Greg McKeown: Port expansion needs firm hand

Aucklanders would prefer a comprehensive long-term study before any port expansion occurs.

Fonterra sticks with farmer payout

Forecast brighter for Fonterra

Fonterra's board will have reason for cautious optimism when it meets tomorrow to review its farmgate milk price forecast for 2014/15.

Falling kiwi helps offset log price decline

The falling dollar has helped to offset declining export log prices, says AgriHQ.

High country's 'jewel' for sale

The historic Craigieburn Station, in the central Canterbury foothills, has come up for sale for the first time in 98 years.

Catherine Beard: NZ can't afford to miss out on Trans-Pacific Partnership

Catherine Beard writes: Those questioning the value of free trade agreements could do well to examine the results achieved by New Zealand's other agreements.

Drought adds urgency to irrigation plans

Drought throughout much of the South Island and dry conditions in parts of the North look set to add urgency to water storage and irrigation schemes.

Otago farmers hit hard by drought

Lindsay Carruthers doesn't use a rain gauge when it comes to measuring rainfall on his Middlemarch farm.

China's rulers in survival mode

Economic reform in China, one of New Zealand's largest trading partners accounting for 22 per cent of exports, is a lower priority than trying to save the Communist Party, according to Wall Street....

Genetics firm's profit up

Livestock Improvement Corp, a farmer co-operative that sells bull semen and provides a dairy genetics database, posted a 10 per cent gain in first-half profit on increased demand for its products and....

Drought declared in South Island

Govt expected to declare drought areas

The Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy, is expected to declare South Canterbury and North Otago drought areas when he visits the rapidly depleting Opuha Dam, near Fairlie, today.

Marlborough dries up as irrigation bans imposed

Apples down 6% but quality better

Local apple production looks set to drop by 6 per cent this year because of a cool start to spring, but a warm summer has improved the crop's quality, says Pipfruit New Zealand.