Category Archives: Agribusiness

Dutch cows graze below sea level

Posted on June 6, 2017 by

In late May, I was in Holland with colleagues from Calder Stewart as part of a self-education project on hybrid dairy systems. These systems involve 12-month production of milk from the combination of grazing and off-paddock systems. One of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Agribusiness, Dairy, Land and water | 3 Comments

Synlait purchases strategic blending and canning assets

Posted on May 30, 2017 by

Synlait’s announcement today of the purchase of apparently distressed assets from the New Zealand Dairy Company puts another peg in the board strengthening Synlait’s pathway towards an integrated dairy value-chain. The purchase has relevance both to Synlait and its strategic … Continue reading →

Posted in A1 and A2 milk, Agribusiness, China, Dairy, Synlait | 3 Comments

Synlait transforms from bulk powders to infant formula

Posted on April 11, 2017 by

Synlait is currently undergoing a strategic restructure from a producer of bulk milk powders to a producer of consumer-packaged infant formula. These investments will make Synlait the dominant New Zealand producer of infant formula. So far, Synlait are still in … Continue reading →

Posted in A1 and A2 milk, Agribusiness, Dairy, Synlait | 1 Comment

Dairy outlook cools down

Posted on March 13, 2017 by

The latest dairy auction on 7 March has brought a cool breeze to the dairy outlook. There are signs it could turn even colder at the next auction. Whole-milk powder (WMP) at this last auction was down 22 percent to … Continue reading →

Posted in Agribusiness, China, Dairy, Fonterra | 7 Comments

Synlait and The a2 Milk Company strengthen their alliance

Posted on March 3, 2017 by

The a2 Milk Company (A2M) and Synlait have each announced to the market today that A2M has purchased 8.2 percent of Synlait. This was an off-market transaction with Dutch-owned Friesland Campina, previously Synlait’s second largest shareholder after Chinese-owned Bright.  The … Continue reading →

Posted in A1 and A2 milk, Agribusiness, China, Dairy, Synlait | 4 Comments

The search for new agri-food markets

Posted on February 15, 2017 by

The proposed 12-nation Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is now well and truly dead.  The question is where do we go from here? We are hearing talk from various sources about possibilities for a ‘TPP minus Mr Trump’s USA’. But that … Continue reading →

Posted in Agribusiness, China, Dairy, TPP - Trans Pacific Partnership | 3 Comments

How do we get a rational debate about water?

Posted on January 30, 2017 by

Recently I dipped my toes gently into the debate about how to use water fairly for all New Zealanders.  I did so knowing that to say anything about water is like stirring up a nest of angry wasps. Both environmental … Continue reading →

Posted in Agribusiness, Water | 1 Comment