Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says it will take a couple of weeks for the price of units in the co-operative to settle after their explosive start on the NZX yesterday.

Units in the new Fonterra Shareholders Fund have debuted at $6.66 per unit - a $1.16 premium to their $5.50 issue price.

Fonterra said it had set its final price for units in the Fonterra Shareholders' Fund at $5.50 per unit - the top end of an indicative $4.60 to $5.50 range.

Fonterra will put in the bulk of shares required for the Fonterra Shareholders' Fund following a muted response from its farmer members.

Chinese interest in investing in Fonterra's Cooperative Group's shareholder fund was predictable, says the main farm lobby group.

Local scientists have devised an inventive way of identifying fake milk powder being sold on the international market as a New Zealand product.

"Substandard" NZ-made baby formula and milk powder is being rejected at China's border, raising concerns that media coverage could damage our reputation.

See a replay of our live chat with ANZ rural economist Con Williams on Fonterra's TAF scheme and the dairy industry.

Industry veterans rely on selling their expertise, not hardware or software.

Fonterra has today released details of its $500 million public offer, which will be by far the biggest issue to hit the NZX this year when it lists on November 30.

Wendyl Nissen recently followed up revelations in this newspaper that the big companies are messing with our daily cows' milk. Rodney Hide talks about this issue.

World dairy prices rose 1.8 per cent in the latest overnight auction, with whole milk powder prices soaring 9.2 per cent.

Why is van der Heyden sticking around?