Icelandic fishing industry has some lessons for New Zealand’s commodity sector

Ogmundur Knutsson, Dean of the school of business and science at Iceland’s University of Akureyri, was in New Zealand in early September to give a keynote speech at the conference Charting Pathways for Maori Industry Future.

MPI must get balance right between regulatory function and growth

The rash of food scares and rejected shipments in recent months must inevitably raise the question whether MPI has become too big to do its job properly. What isn’t at issue is the crucial importance of a government ministry which has responsibility for regulating all agricultural, seafood and forestry exports and imports.

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Drought hammers stock numbers and puts pressure on procurement prices

Last summer’s drought has badly affected breeding numbers and next season’s lamb and beef cattle numbers. The far north’s ewe population was particularly heavily hit, while the breeding cow herd in the Taranaki – Manawatu region was 11% down purely because of the drought.

Genetics programmes critical for improving productivity

Two complementary programmes have just been announced which promise to deliver improved sheep traits which will compensate for lower production and generate greater profits.