Blue chip dairy company Tatua has declared a bumper milk price and group earnings while warning uncertainty around emerging Government environmental policies has "real potential" to undermine investment confidence.
The Waikato cooperative exporter will pay its 107 supplying farms $8.50/kilogram milksolids cash for the 2018-2019 financial year - that's after retaining earnings for reinvestment of $1.16/kg. The previous year milk payout was $8.10/kg.
Industry dominator Fonterra paid its farmers $6.35/kg and no dividend.
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Tatua group earnings of $140 million before retentions and tax equated to $9.66/kg, up from $8.62/kg the previous year.