Fonterra chief financial officer Lukas Paravicini rejects the notion that the co-operative is playing safe in keeping this season's farm gate milk price forecast at $4.70 a kilogram of milksolids.

The Auckland Council seems to be constantly surprised by decisions of its subordinate bodies.

Aucklanders would prefer a comprehensive long-term study before any port expansion occurs.

Fonterra's board will have reason for cautious optimism when it meets tomorrow to review its farmgate milk price forecast for 2014/15.

The falling dollar has helped to offset declining export log prices, says AgriHQ.

The kiwifruit harvest is about to start and indications are that production will reflect a strong rebound.

'Economists make forecasts," said the late, great, economist John Kenneth Galbraith, "not because they know, but because they are asked."

Catherine Beard writes: Those questioning the value of free trade agreements could do well to examine the results achieved by New Zealand's other agreements.

Local apple production looks set to drop by 6 per cent this year because of a cool start to spring, but a warm summer has improved the crop's quality, says Pipfruit New Zealand.

Dairy prices spiked higher at this morning's GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction, the GDT price index gaining 9.4 per cent since the last sale on January 21.

A Hawkes Bay packhouse has been fined $40,000 after it was found to have exported non-compliant apples to Taiwan.

Stephen Jacobi writes: If the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not finished soon, we may need to move on to something else.

New Zealand wine drinkers are now enjoying the results of two good vintage years and the outlook for the sector is positive.

New Zealand's agritechnology exports, worth $1.2 billion annually, look to be on a roll despite historically underperforming compared with key competitors.

Falling milk powder prices have hit consumers' economic confidence in the key dairy regions of Southland and the Waikato, says Westpac.

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri faces a positive outlook this year but there are headwinds - the New Zealand dollar's strength against the currencies of its two biggest export destinations, Japan and....

Dairy farmers were offered a respite from what has so far been a dismal season for prices after the GlobalDairyTrade index gained 3.6 per cent at the first auction for 2015.

The international dairy trade has started 2015 on a positive note at this morning's GlobalDairyTrade auction, up 3.6 per cent on last month's auction.

Australian supermarket chain Coles will pay A$11.25 million in fines and costs and potentially far more refunding suppliers for illegally squeezing them for funds.

New Zealand cleaning products company ecostore has signed a deal that will see the company export to South Korea from next year.

Dairy prices mostly improved at this morning’s GlobalDairyTrade auction, the GDT price index gaining 2.4 per cent.