Rabobank Best of The Country - June 13, 2020

This week on The Best of The Country, Jamie Mackay caught up with Rabobank's Blake Holgate to find out how the red meat market has been handling the impact of Covid-19.

This week's top interviews are:

Bruce Cameron:

As the demand for Vitamin C soars in Asia and Europe, the Chairman of Zespri reflects on a record Kiwifruit harvest season, under the most trying of circumstances. Twenty three weeks into the current season, 75 million trays have already been shipped (that's more than 7080 containers loaded already on 28 of the total of 50 ships scheduled for the season), as the industry looks set to better last season's $3 billion revenue from fruit sales and license earnings.

Farmer Tom Martin:

Our UK correspondent says despite a Covid death toll in excess of 40,000 ,the Brits are still backing Boris. He also comments on the wettest winter on record, followed by one of the sunniest, driest springs plus we look at On-line Open Farm Sunday.

Jacinda Ardern:

We congratulate the PM for getting us to Level 1 but ask if she's going to keep the wage subsidy in place until September to "buy" the election? Plus we talk about political correctness, whether she needs a breather and are her Cabinet bench players up to the task if the captain takes a time out.

Blake Holgate:

Rabobank's Animal Proteins Analyst comments on the bank's latest Beef Quarterly Report, softening beef prices and whether we're headed for a late season lamb procurement war.

Dr Jacqueline Rowarth:

Is a leading farming academic who challenges the idea being promoted in the media that farmers can make more money by decreasing stocking rates, saying some hard-line environmentalists would even go as far as suggesting New Zealand would be better off without methane-emitting ruminant livestock.

Barry Soper:

Is the world heading to hell in a handcart? Our political correspondent ponders the prospect. And should Kiwi farmers consider a vote for Winston?

Listen below: