The Commerce Commission is sticking to its guns in the long-running air cargo cartel case against Air NZ, which yesterday renewed its bid to have the case dropped.

Pacific health experts are calling for a quota on the amount of fatty food exported to the Pacific Islands, where heart disease, diabetes and obesity are the norm.

Prices have fallen more than 7 per cent in the latest global dairy auction held overnight. It comes after a slight dip in prices two weeks ago.

Trade Minister Tim Groser says he is disappointed he had to drop out of the race to become the director-general of the World Trade Organisation.

New Zealand is about to open huge tracts of its offshore territory.

An industry group is continuing to defend itself against accusations that it damaged this country's lucrative reputation for safe dairy products during a visit to a trade show in China this month.

Arrests of infant formula smugglers have surpassed those of heroin and other drug runners at Hong Kong's border since it introduced new laws restricting how much baby milk - much of which is made in New Zealand - can be carried into mainland China.

A spokeswoman has confirmed to APNZ this morning that Trade Minister Tim Groser has withdrawn his bid to head the World Trade Organisation.

Editorial: New Zealand has, with good cause, always harboured mixed feelings about Japan joining the Trans Pacific Partnership.

The NZIER shadow board thinks the Reserve Bank should keep the official cash rate on hold at 2.5 per cent tomorrow.

Trade Minister Tim Groser's international travel costs soared to almost $250,000 in the first three months of this year as he lobbied for WTO job.

Prices of dairy products recorded their smallest gain this year, edging up to a new record.

Deforestation intentions have soared as the emissions trading scheme, at least at current rock-bottom prices, is no longer seen as a barrier to switching to other land uses.