The Government is strengthening plant variety rights (PVR) to protect investments underpinning high‑value exports, regional jobs and global demand for New Zealand produce, Trade and Investment and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Cameron Brewer say.

“High‑value horticulture relies on years, often decades, of breeding, testing and commercialisation. Strengthening the Plant Variety Rights Act 2022 gives New Zealand the intellectual property settings it needs to compete internationally, protect our investment and grow export returns,” Mr Brewer says.

“From drought-resistant grass seed that benefits pastoral farmers, to higher-yielding and better-tasting produce for New Zealanders and our export markets, these changes will provide vital support for growers,” Mr McClay says.

“In 2024, 75 per cent of the $3.5 billion in export returns from kiwifruit and an estimated 55 per cent of the $979 million in export returns from apples came from plant variety rights‑protected varieties. This shows the vital contribution that new plant varieties make to growing export earnings and taking us closer to New Zealand’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of exports in 10 years.

“A successful sector means thriving communities, economic growth, secure jobs and a prosperous economy.”

“Zespri’s projections show that extending the PVR term by five years for SunGold Kiwifruit alone would mean additional revenue of around $1.8 billion over five years from the time of the extension, to the kiwifruit industry and the Biosecurity Science Institute,” Mr Brewer says.

“Growers will also benefit from additional returns as PVR varieties maintain their market value for longer, allowing growers to continue to build high value demand ahead of supply.

“Directly and indirectly we all benefit when our domestic growers are thriving. 

“Breeding and importing new varieties can be a long, expensive and uncertain process. Breeders and importers take a significant risk, and we need to ensure they are supported in this process.”

The Government is also restoring provisional protection, so breeders are covered from day one of their rights application instead of when it is granted.

“This means plant breeders can take immediate legal action if new varieties are stolen and commercially exploited during the application process, which can take up to five years and sometimes much longer,” Mr Brewer says.

“By providing greater certainty and support, we are empowering plant breeders to keep innovating – driving economic growth and ensuring New Zealand remains competitive on the world stage,” Mr McClay says.

“The National-led Government is fixing the basics and building the future by making common-sense changes for industry that help support more opportunities for New Zealanders.” Mr Brewer says.

MIL OSI

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

A group of Hawke’s Bay growers is looking at whether it could take over the McCain vegetable processing factory and save the industry.

McCain is closing its frozen vegetable factory in Hastings, a decision that’s impacting more than 100 growers of peas, beans, corn and carrots.

The international company said it had reviewed operations at the site and ‘considered a range of options to strengthen the long-term position of the site’.

However, it said the business was ‘unable to identify a sustainable pathway under the current model’.

The decision is a huge blow to the industry in Hawke’s Bay, where the impact is being felt widely from growers to contractors, and mechanics to factory workers.

Alistair Setter has been farming in Central Hawke’s Bay for decades, and told RNZ the closure has come as a shock, and with no warning.

“I was like, oh gosh…have we really grown our last crop of peas? My father grew peas back in the 70s and it’s an important business for us but it’s also an emotional thing as well.

“It’s a great thing to be part of that pea growing business – you think you’re doing good for the world and everything else. As the days go by it kinda sinks in and it really feels like a loss on quite a few levels,” Setter said.

He owns 180 hectares near Ongaonga, growing crops over the warmer months and grazing cattle in winter. About a quarter of his income is from supplying peas to McCains – so the financial hit is substantial.

“It will be significant and we will have to think of alternatives… but they won’t pay as much and it will put risks on other cropping programmes… so yeah we’ve got challenges,” he said.

“There are wider issues at play here about how we handle food security as a nation.. when the industry’s go they’re very hard to get back,” Setter said.

One of the alternatives could be a group of growers taking over the current McCain’s factory site, and processing their crops themselves.

Since the closure was announced several meetings have been held between ministers, mayors, and growers to see if anything can be done to save the industry in Hawke’s Bay.

Setter said there were a lot of people keen to see the pea, bean and corn cropping industry survive.

“There’s a lot of desire among farmers like myself and other industry participants to have a go at trying to save it.

“It’s a big thing to try and organise, and it’s a big business, but there is a lot of will out there. The farmers we know around here, a lot of them are really capable business people so sometimes when there is a will and a need… maybe there is a way,” Setter said.

One of those farmers is Hugh Ritchie. He’s been growing peas for McCain for over 30 years and said for it to work, there must be more scrutiny of the food production chain. He said to understand why big companies like McCain can’t make it work, everyone’s margins, from growers to supermarkets, must be analysed.

“If we don’t solve this problem and really understand why it’s happening then it’s just going to be the start of a downward spiral on the domestic production of food,” said Ritchie.

Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Will Foley is also keen to find out the cause of McCain decision.

“It doesn’t seem right that we can’t produce that food and sell it locally and for export – all at a success. That’s why we want to get to the bottom of what is going on here and can we take it on ourselves,” he said.

However, the pressure is on because McCain is only using its Hastings factory until January; after that the machinery could be packed up and sent overseas.

“There is a lot of urgency because any businesses involved that are thinking there is no more business going forward, they are needing to dispose of their assets, otherwise it’s just a cost to them..

“And if we lose those assets and have to start again, the cost to start up will be so much more than if we can take over what is already there,” Foley said.

The Minister for Agriculture, Todd McClay, said he had a constructive and informative meeting with the region’s mayors last week.

“There is a huge amount of optimism in the region and the Minister is looking to meet with growers over the coming weeks,” he said.

McCain told RNZ it has received ‘potential interest in the plant and its equipment from several parties and is continuing discussions’.

‘Massive’ flow-on effect

Many growers, especially for crops like peas, beans and sweet corn, would normally get a contract in mid-year and then start planting crops through August and September.

The impact of McCain closing is rippling through the region, from growers to factory workers, to companies selling seeds and chemicals, contractors and machinery engineers.

Fogarty Spraying in Ongaonga sprays about 1500 hectares of McCain crops each season, and employs three people to help run the operation.

Owner Stuart Davies told RNZ that with McCain’s shutting up shop he’s looking at scaling down by cutting one worker and possibly selling one of his spraying machines.

He said while others were much harder hit than him, this was the kind of impact that was being felt widely in the region.

“That whole economical side of it. It’s all singing and dancing until all of a sudden the big red button’s been hit and that’s it – she’s all stopped. It has a massive flow-on effect,” he said.

Davies said luckily there was currently a lot of confidence in other farming sectors like red meat and dairy, but it would still be a tough time for growers.

The news came out of the blue for most, and Davies said McCain could have done a better job at communicating its closure, as there was no notice that it was even being considered.

“We didn’t quite expect the rug to be pulled just like that, it would’ve been nice to have some warning.

“That was the feel around the place – that the rug was pulled pretty abruptly rather than maybe a softly softly ‘hey guys this is happening in 18 months’,” he said.

McCain declined RNZ’s request for an interview, saying in a statement the business informed key stakeholders of the closure on the same day as its Hastings team was told.

“We indicated to our stakeholders that we are available to answer any questions about the closure and are also available to discuss the impact the closure may have on them.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

BDC intends to further deploy HVO-powered energy solutions across its data centres in Asia Pacific and beyond

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

As New Zealand grapples with rising energy costs and uncertain supply chains, questions about our fuel security and food security are becoming tightly knotted together.

Our country relies year-round on our covered crop growers to produce affordable quality fresh produce. This includes 95% of our tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers. Many of them operate glasshouses that sweep across from South Auckland to Bay of Plenty. Most of them rely on natural gas, waste oil or coal heating to maintain growing temperatures.

“Energy costs are currently about 40% of a grower’s overhead, heating is rapidly becoming one of the sector’s largest and most volatile operating costs. Keeping the heating on is seriously impacting our growers’ ability to keep operating. While many growers currently have their fuel supply locked in through contracts, the real risk is what happens when those contracts run out, and remaining on gas could become unaffordable,” says Dinah Cohen, General Manager of Covered Cropping NZ.

Dr Anya Seward from Earth Sciences New Zealand says the sector could turn to a more local solution, by rather ironically, looking underground.

“Simply, there is no more efficient way to produce heat than by starting with pre-existing heat. Using the geothermal heat directly in our earth’s crust offers a 24/7, low-emissions heating alternative that is more energy efficient than fossil-fuel burners and electric heating” says Seward.

To help growers search for alternative solutions, Seward and her team from Earth Sciences New Zealand and GeoExchange NZ have launched a new “Geothermal for Glasshouses Calculator” . This free online calculator is designed to help covered crop growers assess whether switching from fossil fuel heating to geothermal heating could be technically and economically viable. Growers have already been testing the tool to explore potential heating demand, fuel displacement, emissions reductions, and indicative cost considerations for their specific need.

Seward says the motivation in creating the tool was because geothermal heat presents a major opportunity for the glasshouse industry to reduce exposure to fuel shocks.

“This tool is about giving growers practical, science‑based insights so they can see what geothermal heating could mean for their business and for the resilience of the wider food system.”

Cohen says the calculator responds directly to questions growers are asking.

“Growers want reliable information about alternatives. Having a tool that’s specifically designed for glasshouse operations and grounded in New Zealand conditions is incredibly valuable. This helps turn geothermal heat from a concept into something growers can genuinely evaluate.”

“Speaking of the concept, it’s important for New Zealand to know that the use of geothermal heat in greenhouses is common overseas, even in places you don’t typically associate with the word ‘geothermal’, like the Netherlands” adds Cohen.

While geothermal energy is often associated with known hotspots like Taupō and Rotorua, the developers of the tool stress that its potential is far broader.

“One of the key messages we want to get across is that geothermal isn’t just for a few regions or industries. Across much of New Zealand, low‑temperature geothermal heat is readily available and suitable for many uses currently met by gas below 100°C, from space and water heating to food processing and concrete curing. Higher-temperature hotspots can also support more demanding industrial processes” says Dr Seward.

“But to make realistic progress, New Zealand needs to invest in nationwide geothermal datasets and more tools, like this calculator, that are catered to other industries. Crucially, we also need ways to de‑risk development for potential end users, such as regionally distributed test bores and pilot projects that can confirm what’s in the ground and what it would take to use it. That kind of early investment is one reason greenhouse geoheat has scaled overseas, including in the Netherlands, where developers have drilled much deeper. We’re seeing encouraging signals in the Geothermal Strategy for New Zealand the government released last month. We have a long way to go, but the opportunity seems worth it.”

The Geothermal for Glasshouses Calculator is available now: https://data.gns.cri.nz/geoheat/

This initiative is supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund and Vegetables NZ and Tomatoes NZ, and in collaboration with Earth Sciences New Zealand and GeoExchange NZ.

MIL OSI

A staff member says a fatal school caving trip went ahead despite an orange heavy rain warning because he was certain the rain would hit hours after the boys were due to leave the cave.

A coroner’s inquest is currently underway into the death of 15-year-old Karnin Petera, who died during a Whangārei Boys’ High School trip to Abbey Caves in May 2023.

Sixteen other boys and two adults managed to get out of the cave alive after an underground creek tuned into a raging torrent during heavy rain.

Much of the focus of Monday’s evidence was on which weather information was considered and what drove the decision to proceed with the trip.

A staff member, whose name is subject to an interim non-publication order, said he had explored the caves many times and had never known Organ Cave – the one where the tragedy took place – to flood.

He knew the two other, narrower caves – Middle Cave and Ivy Cave – could flood, because he had seen leaves stuck to the ceilings after rain.

The forecast of heavy rain later in the day prompted the organisers to start the trip half an hour earlier than usual and limit it to Organ Cave only, so they would be out by noon instead of the usual 2.30pm.

At the time, the staff member said he was “certain” the band of heavy rain would arrive in Whangārei around 3pm.

That was based on three-day MetService regional forecasts and hourly local forecasts.

Those forecasts had not changed between Sunday and the fateful Tuesday morning, which gave him confidence the predictions were correct.

He knew about the Northland-wide orange heavy rain warning, issued the previous day, but was convinced that was connected with the “gnarly” band of rain he expected around 3pm.

He now accepted, after hearing MetService evidence on Friday, that a severe weather warning could mean “anything could happen at any time”.

He defended not checking the rain radar that morning, saying he needed to know what was coming and not what was happening at the time.

The staff member said he had been to Organ Cave after a full night of rain in 2016 but the water at the entrance was only thigh deep.

In his experience, Organ Cave drained well and could handle a lot of water.

However, when he rushed to the cave after hearing the boys were trapped, he saw the water at the entrance was 2-3 metres deep.

“It was beyond anything I ever imagined,” he said.

The teachers leading the trip told him the water inside the cave rose from waist deep to neck deep in a matter of minutes.

“It sounded phenomenally quick, nothing I’ve ever experienced.”

It also emerged during Monday’s evidence that the school had no clear criteria for when an outdoor trip should be cancelled, or what constituted “extreme weather”.

Ellie Harrison, lawyer for Karnin’s family, questioned his statement he was “certain” the heavy rain would not fall before mid-afternoon.

“How can anyone be certain about the weather in Northland?” she said.

Harrison also questioned the lack of an emergency plan, which could have helped guide decision-making once water levels started rising inside the cave, and the lack of emergency communications.

If the group had a radio or satellite phone, the school might have been able to pass on Karnin’s father’s concerns, who saw city streets flooding in Whangārei around 9am, just before the boys entered the cave.

There is no cellphone coverage underground or at the entrance to the cave.

After getting out of the cave, two of the boys had to find a member of public so they could raise the alarm.

Harrison said the tragedy could have been avoided if the trip had been cancelled, or if the group had retreated to a higher part of the cave and waited for the water level to fall.

However, the staff member said there was no way of knowing how long that would take, and the boys, who were cold and wet, would have been at risk of hypothermia.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Kiwi exports to the European Union have rocketed by $3 billion in just two years under the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), delivering a major boost to the economy and supporting jobs nationwide, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says.

“Because the FTA entered into force early, our exporters got an immediate head start with tariff cuts and better access into what is now our fastest-growing major market,” Mr McClay says.

Exports to the EU hit $8.8 billion in the year to December 2025 – up 29 per cent, or nearly $1.9 billion. Two years ago, exports were $5.7 billion.

“On the Agreement’s second anniversary, Kiwi exporters have now chalked up an extra $3 billion in sales. This growth has significantly exceeded forecasts and expectations and shows what’s possible when we back our exporters and open new doors.

“It means the world is choosing more of the high-quality food, fibre and products our farmers, growers and businesses are known for.”

Some of the standout gains in the last year include butter exports up 121 per cent, meat up 38 per cent, industrial goods up 61 per cent, and tourism up 7.3 per cent.

One in four New Zealand jobs depends on trade. Mr McClay says the surge in exports is flowing directly into stronger regional economies, higher incomes and more secure jobs.

“Making full use of the Agreement is vital in a time of global uncertainty and supports New Zealand’s goal of doubling export value within a decade.

“Today we celebrate not only our strengthened trade to the EU, but also the strong relationship we have developed over many years. The EU remains a trusted and important partner for New Zealand.”

Export growth to the EU in the year to December included:
•    Total goods exports up 35 per cent to $6.7b
•    Services exports up 11 per cent to $2b, including:
–    tourism up 7.3 per cent to $1.1b
–    education-related exports up nearly 18 per cent to 245m
•    Meat up 38 per cent to $1.9b, including sheep meat up 50 per cent to $1.39b
•    Dairy up 58 per cent to 616m, including:
–    Butter up 121 per cent to 276m
–    Cheese up 400 per cent to 51m
•    Industrial exports up 61.3 per cent to 1.44b
•    Fruit and vegetables up 29.3 per cent to $1.36b, including $1.2b of kiwifruit
•    Seafood up 15.1 per cent to $384m
 

Note to editor:

Two-way goods and services trade between the EU and NZ increased 14 per cent to $23.21b in the year to December 2025.
 

MIL OSI

A new national wool auction, closing a chapter for Hawke’s Bay, was off to a subdued but promising start in Christchurch this week.

The hammer went down on more than 9000 wool bales sourced from across both North and South Islands on Thursday, earning $6.6 million across two auctions held by brokers PGG Wrightson (PGG) and farmer cooperative Wools of New Zealand.

More than 4800 bales were sold by PGG making $3.4m, while Wools of New Zealand sold more than 4300 for $3.2m.

PGG held its final Napier auction in mid-April after 140 years there, as the rural firm sought to consolidate and reduce duplication across the auction system. Wools of New Zealand followed suit.

General manager of wool for PGG Rachel Shearer said the support team of 20 in Napier – whom she described in January as “disappointed” by the decision – was expanding to help manage the new Ōtautahi auction.

“The decision to consolidate to Christchurch has been really difficult,” she said.

“It’s been a long time coming and we’ve been hearing from buyers for many years, as well as the wider industry, that there’s a lot of duplication happening across the industry.

“Part of our strategy is to work with others across the wool industry to help consolidate, to take out that duplication in the industry, to create efficiencies.”

Small, raw samples of North Island-sourced wool will now be shipped down to Ōtautahi for buyers to experience in the wool store, instead of the full bales, and scouring and storage will continue in Napier.

Shearer said growers either entered wool supply contracts, sold it directly or through auctions.

“Growers have options and we’re delighted to be able to offer them multiple options,” she said.

“We believe in the open cry system; it’s fast, it’s reliable, and buyers like it. But likewise, growers are able to promptly receive money for that.”

South Island auctioneer Dave Burridge said the firm wanted to create an “industry-good” hub in Christchurch, possibly with more players involved.

“There’s a lot of collaboration has gone on with other brokers to be able to come together in one centre,” he said.

“And there will be other support and options for other brokers to come in eventually, if they wish to be able to support the auction system.

“Because ultimately at the end of the day, the auction still sets the defaulting prices in New Zealand.”

Nearing the end of this current wool season, there were fewer bales were on offer in Ōtautahi than at this year’s earlier North and South Island sales combined. But there was good buyer turn-out and low pass-in rates.

Local buyers and agents represented companies from all over the world, including key markets China, Australia, and Europe.

Among others, the top buyers across Thursday’s sales were longstanding merchant Segard Masurel and the consolidated J S Brooksbank and NZ Wool Services International, New Zealand’s largest wool exporter.

Burridge said most of the bench were based in Christchurch, but there were other exporters scattered around the country too.

“What happens generally is that the New Zealand-based wool exporters will represent overseas principles of their inquiry, their demand and their purchasing books,” he said.

“But we do have a number of, in recent years, a lot of interest now coming from Australian major wool exporting houses, sending their representatives here to Christchurch, mainly through the fine wool season.

“They’ve also expressed interest now into the cross-bred sector, which we see .. as hosting a hub for all buyers to make it accessible.”

Burridge said prices were well above the levels of recent years, closer to the more recent pre-Covid 19 era peak around 2018, making it much more meaningful for growers.

Prices appeared to have turned a corner after difficult periods when the cost of shearing the sheep outweighed returns.

Burridge said prices were helped in part by improved sentiment in China recently.

“It’s mainly been a supply driven, but it’s also come at a time where China has revitalised.

“They’ve invested a lot of new plant and machinery in China to process wool as the textile hub of the world.”

He said there was promise for New Zealand wool with the signing of the new India-New Zealand free trade agreement just this month.

He added that the current global uncertainty around oil could favour the wool industry, over petroleum-based synthetic fibres.

Demand for traditional wool mediums like carpet, textiles and clothing were holding steady, but there were emerging opportunities in more niche products like woollen air filters, wool-derived pigments and woollen band aids, helping prices.

Cross industry platform Fusca indicated its strong wool indicator was at $5.54 per kilogram on Thursday, marking a ten-year high. Though some classes reached much higher levels in Napier and Ōtautahi recently.

Prices have been helped in part by steady domestic and international demand for wool, in the face of the declining national flock.

The 23 million or so sheep in New Zealand in the year to June, according to StatsNZ, was now a third off the peak of more than 70 million in the 1980s.

In future, a couple of cents per kilo may be shaved off the sheet further to go towards an industry wool levy, that was being considered again.

In 2003, farmers dissatisfied with the then New Zealand Wool Board voted out its governance and hence the levy, and attempts at a levy revival since have been unsuccessful.

Organisers expected the quantities at national auctions to increase as more wool came off farm in the warmer months, with a boom expected in July and August, particularly for merino.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A West Auckland foodbank says it’s struggling with increasing demand and soaring fuel costs.

Fair Food recycles 15,000 tonnes of food that doesn’t sell in supermarkets each week, donating it to charities who then deliver to whānau in need.

But with the sky-rocketing cost of using diesel-run trucks and no promises whether they’ll get government funding in the next budget, their future remains uncertain.

In a warehouse in West Auckland, hundreds of boxes of groceries are unloaded each week by volunteers in hi-vis.

But the fruit, veges, meat, bread and dairy are actually leftovers – the perishable products left on supermarket shelves at the end of each day.

Despite not being sold that day, Fair Food manager Michelle Blau said the food is still perfectly fine.

“We’ve got a whole box of eggs, we’ve got lots of different kinds of milk, some custard, some really gorgeous cheeses, broccoli, tomatoes.

“This will all go out to community organisations who will divide it up to families in need.”

Fair Food has a team of more than 600 volunteers they can call on, who put together food parcels and turn some of the recycled food into meals and baking.

“So we have pallets of this yoghurt but it’s not Fresh and Fruity strawberry, it would’ve been like a test batch.

“We can’t send it out like this because it would be mislabelled, but we can integrate it into our kitchen products.”

Everything is donated at no cost, but they have to pick up the groceries in five diesel-run freezer trucks from 35 stores every day around Auckland.

But because of the war in the Middle East, their fortnightly diesel costs have more than doubled from $720 at the start of the year to over $1600.

“They may only be doing 100 kilometres but it’s all in traffic, it’s all stop-start. It takes five hours to do those 100 kilometres.”

“It’s [also] a freezer vehicle, even our hybrid diesel is still costing us thousands of dollars.”

But right now, there’s no choice but to keep filling up their trucks because the need out in communities is too great.

Fair Food’s foodbank is open seven days a week, 12 hours a day, to support 70 charities.

New Foundation is one of those charities and worker Sharafat Salarzai was parked at Fair Food waiting for parcels.

She was delivering them to people who don’t qualify for support from the Ministry of Social Development because of their visa status and can’t afford to put petrol in their cars to visit the foodbank.

“The impact is very bad on our communities, I can see some of them going through a very stressful time.”

“They keep saying maybe I’ll go talk to the school because I can’t drop off my children because I can’t afford to put petrol in my car.

“If I put petrol in, I can’t buy the food that we need.”

Another car in line belonged to Heather Tanguay who helps to fill pātaka kai around Glen Eden. She told Checkpoint demand for food has never been higher.

“People are waiting for us at the pātaka on a regular basis, all of our drivers meet people waiting.

“People are embarrassed, but people know that they have to eat. The other thing we’ve noticed is a rise in older people.”

Fair Food receives some support from the government’s Food Secure Communities grant.

But Blau said most of their funding comes through private donations and community grants.

“All of our organisations run on the smell of an oily rag and now we don’t even have the smell of that oily rag.”

“It is incredibly challenging. Government support is less than 10 percent of our total operating costs and we don’t even know if we’ll have government support in the upcoming budget.”

With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, she said fuel will continue to be the number one topic of conversation.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

• Big tariff wins for many goods exporters, especially sheep meat, forestry, seafood and horticulture
• Services gain certainty and protection, not major new market openings
• Beef and bulk dairy see little change, marking the limits of the deal

New Zealand’s free trade agreement (FTA) with India is being billed as historic, as the world’s most populous country has agreed to cut tariffs on a scale it rarely offers – particularly to an agricultural exporter like New Zealand.

The benefits of the deal are unevenly spread as some sectors emerge as clear winners, others gain certainty of access and future opportunity rather than immediate growth, and a few long‑held ambitions remain firmly on hold.

Overall, though, the agreement meaningfully lowers the cost – and the risk – of doing business with one of the world’s fastest‑growing economies.

The big winners: primary exporters facing high Indian tariffs

The clearest winners in the agreement are exporters whose main barrier to India has always been price.

Sheep meat, wool, forestry products and seafood all benefit from deep tariff cuts, many of them immediate or phased in over a relatively short timeframe.

More than half of New Zealand’s exports to India become duty‑free from day one, rising to more than 80 percent over time.

Indian tariffs have historically been so high that they effectively shut New Zealand out of the market. Cutting or eliminating them turns India from a theoretical opportunity into a commercially viable one.

Forestry exporters, in particular, stand out. India’s construction demand is rising rapidly, and tariff relief gives New Zealand suppliers a genuine foothold in a market that values scale and reliability.

Seafood exporters will gain over time rather than overnight, as tariffs are phased out over several years.

Horticulture: meaningful access, but within limits

Horticulture exporters also emerge as winners, though in a more managed way.

Kiwifruit, apples, cherries, avocados and berries gain either large tariff cuts or duty‑free access within quotas that are significantly larger than New Zealand’s current exports to India.

For kiwifruit, the duty‑free quota is almost four times recent export volumes, although growth will still be shaped by quota limits, logistics and cold‑chain challenges.

Wine: cheers to a quiet winner

Wine exporters are unlikely to see a surge in shipments any time soon, but they gain something arguably more valuable: long‑term positioning as India’s middle class expands.

Indian tariffs on wine are being cut from a punishing 150 percent to much lower levels over a decade.

The biggest win for wine exporters is New Zealand’s “most favoured nation” status. Any better access India grants the European Union or other countries in future will automatically apply to New Zealand as well.

Dairy: selective gains, not a breakthrough

Dairy has always been the hardest nut to crack in India, and that reality is reflected in the agreement.

There is no sweeping liberalisation for milk powder or mass dairy exports.

Instead, the gains are targeted: dairy ingredients for re‑export, bulk infant formula, and high‑value products such as milk albumins within specific quotas.

For processors focused on value‑added products, nutrition and specialised ingredients, the deal opens commercially useful niches.

Manufacturers and industrial exporters: quiet beneficiaries

Manufacturers exporting machinery, metals and industrial goods stand to benefit as tariffs are phased out on most industrial products, iron, steel and scrap aluminium.

The agreement also makes it easier for New Zealand firms to send sales staff, technicians and installers into India to support contracts.

Selling equipment is rarely a one‑off transaction, and deals are often won or lost on the ability to install, service and maintain products on the ground.

Education: the standout services winner

Among the services sectors, international education is perhaps the biggest winner.

Indian students gain guaranteed post‑study work rights in New Zealand, with stays ranging from two to four years depending on qualification level.

Locking these settings into a trade agreement gives education providers far greater certainty when recruiting in one of the world’s largest student markets.

The changes strengthen New Zealand’s universities, polytechnics and private providers against competitors such as Australia, the UK and Canada.

Professional services: certainty rather than expansion

Professional services firms – including engineering, IT, consulting and environmental services – gain modest but tangible benefits.

The agreement clarifies who can enter India, for how long and under what conditions.

Like wine exporters, New Zealand firms’ access is automatically upgraded if India offers better services deals to other trading partners in future.

While the agreement does not throw open India’s services market – which remains heavily regulated – it reduces uncertainty for firms already operating in India and those hoping to enter.

Who isn’t really winning – but isn’t losing either

Some sectors will read the agreement and see more restraint than reward.

Bulk dairy exporters and beef exporters miss out on meaningful new market access, with long‑standing barriers in India largely unchanged.

Labour‑intensive industries hoping for easier workforce mobility, and firms seeking regulatory harmonisation rather than tariff cuts, will also find their ambitions largely deferred.

That does not make them losers as the cost is better described as one of missed opportunity.

The agreement now heads to Parliament and the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, which will call for public submissions.

Once that process is complete, legislation must be passed before the FTA can take effect.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

Move over satsumas and kiwifruit, a smaller and sweeter version of the exotic looking dragon fruit could be the next big thing in school lunchboxes.

While it may be smaller than the fruit grown in tropical climes, researchers in Northland have been surprised at how well dragon fruit has grown under cover on a trial orchard in Kerikeri.

With its pink-red scaly skin, bulbous shape and delicate flavour, imported dragon fruit is mainly on shelves reserved for the more niche fruit in New Zealand supermarkets, but researchers say three new cultivars hold much potential.

In 2013 New Zealand started working with Vietnam, the world’s biggest dragon fruit grower alongside China, to develop more flavoursome, canker-resistant varieties with a better shelf life.

That research led to the local trial, the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s Satish Kumar told Country Life.

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“About 10 years later, we thought that, hey, why can’t we try and test whether we can grow them here in New Zealand as well

“Because [the] climate is changing, and especially in Northland.

“Who knows, maybe in another 10, 15 years, we might be looking at a completely different situation, so we are, in a way, being proactive and trying to introduce and maybe try new crops.”

Dr Kumar took Country Life on a tour of the orchard where rows and rows of prickly fronds – the dragon fruit is a member of the cactus family – tumbled over a system of posts and wires, developed alongside the new cultivars.

Part of the orchard was under a plastic tunnel system, protecting the crop from the winter cold and the region’s increasingly intense rain.

He said in a tropical climate, dragon fruit come into full production in about three years, with five harvests a year, whereas in New Zealand they took a year longer, with just two harvests a year.

Under cover, they hoped to increase the yield and squeeze in one more harvest.

“My gut feeling is that the yield is going to be significantly higher in the tunnel system compared to the open orchard system.

“We know that the visual quality of the fruit is a lot better compared to outdoor so that means the rejection rate will be lower.”

The plants were also less prickly, which workers were pleased about, he said.

While cost benefit analyses were yet to be done, Dr Kumar said the varieties had local potential, especially as New Zealand’s Asian population grew.

“Most of those people, they know what it tastes like, what it looks like, they are more than likely to try anything new that we offer them, and they do appreciate the taste of these new varieties.”

Dragon fruit was just one of several unusual crops the region’s economic development agency Northland Inc had looked at for the region.

It had provided analyses of emerging and high-value crops like papaya, pineapple, turmeric and ginger and a 2025 report it commissioned suggested there were real opportunities for growers and farmers if they used protection like tunnel houses and shade covers.

Luke Beehre, programme lead for the Tuputupu Grow Northland initiative, said change was coming and strategic decision-making rather than knee-jerk reactions was vital.

“Protected cropping opens the door for Northland growers to do things we simply couldn’t do before.

“Growers who contributed to the research talked about improved crop quality, the ability to reach markets earlier, and better working conditions for staff – all of which strengthen the case for further investment.”

Data was still being collected for the dragon fruit trial but work was in its early stages to bring the new varieties to market.

The trial’s commercial partner VentureFruit said a brand name and marketing collateral had been developed but were still under wraps.

MG Marketing was the head licensee and would handle interest from growers.

“The concept globally is to form a network of licensees who grow, sell and market fruit of the varieties under the brand,” a statement from VentureFruit said.

Kumar was happy the home-grown fruit had passed his own taste test.

“When I started the programme in 2013, honest, I didn’t like the taste at all, but now I love eating them, especially the new varieties.”

They were sweet, with a kiwifruit-like texture, good shelf life and appealing to the eye without the “inconvenience” factor of juice dribbling down the chin, he said.

“The new varieties that we have developed, we want them like a premium cultivar, to change the profile of how people view dragon fruit.

“They all are producing here quite happily.”

Learn more:

• Find out more about the dragon fruit trial here

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Kiwifruit growers have come through Cyclone Vaianu relatively unscathed.

It has been less than 24 hours since strong wind and heavy rain lashed the North Island.

Colin Bond from Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated told Checkpoint that he had not heard of growers having much damage as a result.

One in the Bay of Plenty had lost some part of their crop – while some in Northland, Coromandel, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay had also sustained some minor damage.

Bond hoped that the record crop that it was forecasting still eventuated.

But told Checkpoint the biggest concern was wet feet – where the soil is saturated for too long – or skin rub from the wind.

“So as the fruit moves on the vine – rubbing against each other – and then making it difficult for that fruit to be sold as an export quality piece of fruit,” he said.

Bond said it was possible that some of the fruit would no longer be top-grade.

“The challenge will be after this wind event, just to make sure that growers can still maximise their packouts, but we’ll have a process through our post-harvest operators to make sure only the very best fruit gets to market.”

Bond said five million trays of the red variety had been packed and shipped, while the gold variety was about 40 percent of the way through, and the green variety was about 10 percent.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

MIL OSI

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

At a time when both Wattie’s and McCain have announced factory closures, supermarket retailer Woolworths says sales of frozen vegetables have been declining.

Process Vegetables New Zealand chairman David Hadfield said there has been a significant drop in the demand for frozen vegetables, noting that diets and demographics are changing in Aotearoa.

“With Uber Eats etc, there’s not a lot of vegetables in the package that you get to eat. You know there will be a piece of meat, potentially some rice, or you might have potato and a sprinkling of vegetables on top – not the amount that you would have if you cooked the meal at home.”

Hadfield added that they were pushing through programmes in schools to teach year seven and eight children how to cook vegetables, but despite this “consumption seems to be dropping”.

He said with the current cost-of-living pressures they expect demand for cheaper frozen vegetables will increase, but added supermarket profit margins were not helping the situation.

According to Woolworths, 62 cents of every dollar spent in stores went to suppliers, describing their business as “low-margin, high-volume”.

“We keep about 2.3 cents and the remainder goes to paying wages and other operational costs, and investing in our store network,” a spokesperson said.

According to Stats NZ, the cost of fruit and vegetables combined [https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/selected-price-indexes-february-2026/

increased by 9.4 percent between February 2026 and the same time last year].

Meanwhile,Ministry of Health figures for the 2024-2025 year showed just 6.8 percent of adults on average were eating the recommended portions of vegetables.

President of United Fresh New Zealand Incorporated and 5+ A Day, Jerry Prendergast, said he had not seen a drop in demand for fresh vegetables, but he echoed Hadfield’s comments about having to compete with more processed fast food options.

Prendergast said he felt for families under pressure and there was a place for the likes of Uber Eats, but said fresh produce from supermarkets or other retailers remained a cheaper and healthier alternative to takeaways.

“There’s some exceptionally good value out there. Right now you’re into the change of seasons with your autumn crops, so we’re seeing more of the celery, silver beets, spinach being available [and] cabbages and cauliflower and even broccoli at this time of year.

“So, utilising what’s in season is the ideal for consumers to reduce their cost of living.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 March 2026 – Apical, through its business unit PT Sari Dumai Oleo (PT SDO), recently inaugurated the Rumah FABA Kreasi Muda in Lubuk Gaung, Sungai Sembilan, Dumai, Riau. The initiative forms part of the company’s efforts to support community empowerment through productive economic activities.

Rumah FABA Kreasi Muda serves as a production facility for concrete blocks and paving stones using Fly Ash and Bottom Ash (FABA) – non-hazardous by-products generated from Apical’s power plant – as alternative raw materials. These materials are processed into construction products that can support infrastructure development in the surrounding community.

In his remarks, PT SDO Head of General Affairs, M. Jaya Budi Arsa, said the initiative was introduced to strengthen economic independence in communities around the company’s operational areas. “We established Rumah FABA Kreasi Muda to create new business opportunities and support the economic independence of nearby communities. We hope this facility will help enhance residents’ skills and capacity to run sustainable businesses,” he said.

To support the programme’s implementation, Apical, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, has provided assistance through the construction of the production facility, the supply of equipment and the provision of a steady supply of FABA as an alternative raw material. This support is intended to enable the community to carry out production in a structured manner while gradually developing independently managed businesses.

Lubuk Gaung Subdistrict Head Syafrianto, S.Sos., M.IP., noted that the Rumah FABA initiative has had a direct impact on youth engagement and local economic development. He also emphasised the importance of continued guidance to ensure the business can grow sustainably.

“Rumah FABA provides space for young people in Lubuk Gaung to take part in productive activities and access new job opportunities. Moving forward, ongoing support will be key to ensuring the business continues to grow and deliver long-term benefits,” he said.

Rumah FABA Kreasi Muda is expected not only to create employment opportunities but also to strengthen the community’s capacity to manage businesses independently. By repurposing available materials, the programme generates added value while promoting resource efficiency.

In line with Apical’s 5Cs business philosophy – doing what is good for Community, Country, Climate and Customer, and only then will it be good for the Company – the company aims to ensure that its operations deliver balanced benefits for society, the environment and long-term business sustainability.

Apical — Leading Vegetable Oil Processor

Hashtag: #RGE #Apical #Palm #CommunityEmpowerment #Indonesia

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 31 March 2026 – The Sustainable Living Village (SLV) programme, a collaboration between Apical and the Earthworm Foundation, has entered its second year of implementation in East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan. From 8 to 12 February 2026, the programme resumed activities across Tepian Makmur, Tepian Indah, Tepian Langsat and Tepian Raya villages, focusing on strengthening community resilience through environmental restoration and capacity-building initiatives.

The SLV programme promotes a model for sustainable rural development that balances socioeconomic benefits with environmental protection. Through the programme, smallholders receive guidance on adopting sustainable palm oil practices while also being encouraged to diversify their livelihoods. One such initiative is cacao cultivation, which offers an additional income source while helping to promote more sustainable land use.

A key focus this year is a tree-planting initiative in river buffer zones and areas of high conservation value. The programme aims to plant a total of 30,000 trees to strengthen vegetation cover, safeguard watershed functions and support wildlife habitat protection.

Apical CSR Manager, Agus Wiastono, said the programme is designed to encourage active community participation in protecting high conservation value areas while reinforcing sustainable environmental management.

“Through tree-planting activities and ongoing support, we aim to ensure that efforts to protect riverbanks and natural habitats go hand in hand with strengthening the capacity of village communities,” he said.

Local community groups have also played a direct role in the initiative. In Tepian Baru Village, the Sempekat Benderang Farmer Group, together with Apical and the Earthworm Foundation, planted around 200 trees along river buffer zones as part of the broader programme target. The trees included fruit crops, agroforestry species and native timber, which are expected to deliver both ecological benefits and economic value for the community.

Romi, head of the Sempekat Benderang Farmer Group, said the activity reflects the village’s collective to environmental protection. “We have taken the initiative to protect the riverbanks and the remaining forest areas in our village. By maintaining vegetation cover, we hope the environment will be preserved and continue to provide long-term benefits for the community,” he said.

Bahrun, operations manager at the Earthworm Foundation, added that collaboration is essential to ensuring the programme’s sustainability. “Active community participation strengthens efforts to protect areas with important ecological value. When communities are involved from the outset, the impact becomes more sustainable,” he said.

Beyond tree planting, the SLV programme in East Kutai also includes cacao cultivation on two community land sites, training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for cacao farmers, and the distribution of 55 Plantation Cultivation Registration Certificates (STDB) to oil palm smallholders. These initiatives improve farming practices while strengthening the legal and governance aspects of smallholder plantations.

Through this ongoing collaboration, Apical, a member of the RGE group of companies founded by Sukanto Tanoto, together with the Earthworm Foundation and local communities, aims to strengthen environmental resilience while creating more stable economic opportunities for villages in East Kutai. The initiative forms part of Apical’s long-term commitment to supporting sustainable development through partnerships with communities and local stakeholders.

Apical — Leading Vegetable Oil Processor

Hashtag: #RGE #Apical #Palm #SLV #Community #SustainableRuralDevelopment

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

MIL OSI

Biosecurity officers are wrapping up a large-scale fruit fly eradication operation in South Auckland.

Fruit and vegetables can move freely in and out of Papatoetoe for the first time since February as of Monday.

Restrictions were put in place after a single male Oriental fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap.

Biosecurity’s north commissioner Mike Inglis said despite three more males being found in the suburb in early March, he was confident the pest had been eradicated.

“It comes after no further evidence of the oriental fruit fly being in the area, and it brings to an end five weeks of intensive trapping and inspection of nearly 4000 kilograms of fruit.”

Inglis said there were 172 surveillance traps in the Papatoetoe area during the operation, which were regularly inspected by biosecurity officers.

“During this period, we’ve made over 1900 individual visits to check the 172 fruit fly traps, so it has been a significant effort.”

He acknowledged the cooperation of Paptoetoe residents, who had already dealt with an Oriental fruit fly incursion in 2025.

“There’s an imposition on individuals, whether that’s on their own produce, at markets, or businesses. People have been absolutely fantastic in understanding the importance of these restrictions and that we get this right, and we appreciate the community’s efforts.”

Biosecurity said 8000 traps nationwide had been checked regularly during this year’s peak fruit fly season.

Ingliss said these traps, as well as managing risks at the border with detector dogs and educating visitors about produce rules, would be important to prevent any future incursions.

“We’re not taking our foot off the gas.

“We’re protecting a massive primary industry, particularly in the horticulture space.

“With changing weather patterns and longer, warmer summers and an increased number of passengers coming through cargo, its important we continue to focus on this.”

Of the 172 traps, nine were part of Biosecurity New Zealand’s existing network of fruit fly traps across the country, including more than 4600 in Auckland. These will remain in place.

Biosecurity confirmed the remainder would be taken down and stored for any potential future use as needed.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

With the war in Iran pushing up the cost of everyday goods, some New Zealanders are having to choose between putting fuel in their car or putting good quality food on the table.

Some are choosing to buy cheaper meat or fruit and veges, catching the bus instead of driving or picking up overtime at their jobs to get by.

RNZ visited two of South Auckland’s weekend markets to find out how people are coping.

Difficult choices

At the Otara markets, you can find some great deals on fresh fruit and vegetables and mouthwatering food stalls.

People were taking advantage of cheaper prices for produce – but many were still struggling.

Local woman Miriama said the rising cost of food and fuel had left her with some difficult choices.

“Have you got enough gas in the car to go to work? Or do you cut back on the meat you have? And then when you’re going to buy mince that’s so expensive, and that was like a staple which is no longer a staple anymore.”

“Then you come to the markets to try and find your vegetables or things you can’t afford to go to go to the grocery store for, and even Pak’nSave isn’t enough anymore. I would say it’s pretty abysmal.”

Food prices have jumped up 4.5 percent in the year to February, with some items like beef mince and sirloin steak up more than 20 percent.

George, who worked as a glazier, had been picking up overtime in the early hours to get by.

“I start at 2’oclock this morning, finished at 8, just come down to the market to get some food. I’m doing nine hour shifts a day but they want OT eh? Might as well grab it while it’s there.”

The government’s policies were not helping people like him with the cost of living, he said.

“Especially working class, that’s why I come here to get my veges bro it’s cheaper. Supermarket’s a ripoff too.”

Alot of the blame lay at the feet of President Trump, he said.

“It all starts from him, with the fuel and all that, with Iran and all that. He shouldn’t get involved with them, just let them do their business.”

Catching the bus

Over at the Mangere market, solo mum Doreen said she had started catching the bus with her three children because of the cost of petrol.

“I live in Otahuhu at the moment and have to travel to Mangere to school. $3 something a litre? I’ve already ran out three times!”

The government’s $50 per week support package to help some families with the cost of fuel was not enough, she said.

“Per child yeah that’d be great. But for a family, that’s just bugger-all really.”

So what were people’s best tips to save money in tough economic times?

“Stay home!” Doreen laughed.

“If you have any money, my best tip is whenever you get coins just try to stick the coins away because they do add up”, Miriama said.

Back in Otara, George was just taking things one day at a time.

“We just got to survive mate. Nothing else than that. As long as you can wake up in the morning and go to work.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A plan is needed to ensure Aotearoa’s food production is protected, says Eat NZ.

McCain announced yesterday it will close its Hastings frozen vegetable plant early next year.

Wattie’s has also proposed stopping all frozen vegetable production, as well as some other food products, which would see three manufacturing plants close.

Growers have also been feeling the bite from both rising fuel and fertiliser prices, and Angela Clifford – chief executive not-for-profit Eat New Zealand – says now is the time for a national food security plan.

“We tend to lurch from crises to crises without doing the work in between times to make us more resilient for the next time these crises arrive.”

Clifford highlighted the Hunger Monitor report, which showed that one in three Kiwi families struggled for food in the past year, and she says New Zealanders are losing access to their own food.

“That is often framed as our fault because we can’t afford it, but I would argue that there is also an opportunity for supermarket to ensure our own food remains on our shelves to create better long-term security for our country.”

Clifford said more and more of the food New Zealanders eat was imported, such as US butter being sold in supermarkets as the cheaper option, as well as the sourcing of supermarket homebrand lines from overseas.

When asked about this, Foodstuffs said nearly 70 percent of the products that it sourced for its own brand Pams was from New Zealand.

A spokesperson told RNZ that Wattie’s was a significant supplier of Pams frozen vegetables and other items and it was now looking for alternative suppliers.

Foodstuffs said it was always looking to work with local producers.

“At the same time, any supplier needs to be able to deliver consistent quality, reliable volume at scale, and good value for customers. Where New Zealand producers can do that, they’ll absolutely be part of the mix.”

Woolworths said about 45 percent of its own brand frozen vegetables were grown in New Zealand, and Wattie’s and McCain are not among the suppliers.

“Across our Own Brand range we will always look for New Zealand-sourced products where we can find solutions that meet our customers’ needs and offer them value.”

It added that it was a low-margin, high volume business.

“Of every dollar spent in our stores, around 62 cents goes to our suppliers. We keep about 2.3 cents and the remainder goes to paying wages and other operational costs, and investing in our store network.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand