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Increase in dairy prices give hope

Wholemilk powder prices rallied by 19.1 per cent at this morning's GlobalDairyTrade auction.

Fran O'Sullivan: Landcorp has better options

Landcorp should be lined up for a partial privatisation to inject new private capital into the company instead of selling off farm assets at the bottom of the dairy cycle, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Mike Hosking: The dairy sector is not in crisis

I like to see the glass half full, and I have the facts to back that view. If you still want to see the glass half empty - you're the loser, writes Mike Hosking.

Landcorp may have to sell farms - English

Finance Minister Bill English won't rule out state farming company Landcorp having to sell more farms than usual to ensure it is not too loaded with debt.

Dairy prices tipped to recover next year

Uptick on cards for dairy price

Signs look good for Fonterra that dairy prices will bounce in tomorrow's GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction.

Fonterra's South Island share slips

Fonterra's market share in the South Island has slipped beneath the 80 per cent threshold specified in its enabling legislation, Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says.

Prices drive down milk output

Fonterra's forecast of a 2 per cent fall in milk production this season is looking more conservative by the day as farmers cull stock.

Independent dairy producers more competitive

Fonterra's market share in the South Island has slipped beneath 80 per cent ending pro-competition provisions.

PGG Wrightson's earnings jump 18.4%

PGG Wrightson, the rural services firm controlled by China's Agria Corp, beat its guidance with an 18.4 per cent gain in annual earnings, led by an improved performance for seed and grain.

Confidence shockingly weak

Downbeat economic commentary continued to flow yesterday, with Westpac saying it expects New Zealand's annual GDP growth to dip below 2 per cent, while ANZ's Truckometer is pointing to a clear....

No special financial support for dairy: English

Finance Minister Bill English said today the Government would not be offering special financial support to dairy farmers in trouble because of low prices.

Mortgagee sales rise by 50%

The number of mortgagee sales has jumped nationwide in the past quarter as worsening economic conditions and lower dairy payouts hit parts of provincial New Zealand.

Dairy price too low for Fonterra forecast

Milk powder prices will need to improve substantially before Fonterra's revised farmgate milk price of $3.85 per kg of milk solids can become a reality, say analysts.

Keith Woodford: Fonterra risks missing the boat, again

Fonterra lacks people who understand the impact of new and disruptive technologies, writes Keith Woodford.

Anna Russell: Fit farmers with Farmstrong

Farmstrong, an initiative designed to give farmers the resources to live well focuses on areas applicable in any environment.

Growing US herd may affect demand for NZ beef

The US beef cow herd is expected to grow by more than three million head in the next three to five years.

Fonterra overshoot worsens farmer cash flows

Fonterra effectively overpaid farmers last year, sapping funds available to pay farmers at the end of the season.