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.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.

Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.

“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

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– 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.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Industry groups and local government leaders are calling for the resurrection of a Buy Kiwi Made campaign as alarms sound over new job losses and factory closures.

McCain Foods announced on Tuesday it would close its Hastings processing plant weeks after Watties proposed cuts and closures in Hastings, Dunedin, Auckland and Christchurch.

Central Hawke’s Bay mayor Will Foley said the news came as shock, and he did not know how many people were affected.

But once factory workers and those across the supply chain were factored in, it would number in the hundreds, he said.

“If you think of all the contractors that grow the crops, harvest the crops, the trucking companies, the logistics of moving the crops from farm to factories and from there to our supermarkets, you’d be talking about hundreds and hundreds of people impacted. Specifically losing their jobs, perhaps not as many on day one, but the longer term impact we’ll be getting into the hundreds, if not a thousand across Hawke’s Bay.”

Vegetable growing had played a huge role in Hawke’s Bay, including being the home of Watties, which was founded in Hastings in 1934.

The mayor wanted to see a discussion at a national level about the closures and their causes.

“What can we do to address some of these issues and help out the businesses that are still there, because otherwise we’re just going to see this happen again and again.”

Energy and production costs and inflation would all have played a part in the decision, he said.

“A lot of companies and industries affected by Cyclone Gabrielle citied concerns back then about the cost of energy making them contemplate not rebuilding their businesses, as well as the cost of production and such high inflation across the board.”

Foley was keen to see more education and information about the importance of buying New Zealand-made, even if it meant paying a little extra.

“We’re not just losing the more expensive product, we’re losing the whole supply chain and employment and logistics and everything. We might not notice the change overnight, but we’ll notice it eventually as we lose more and more.

“Educating people around buying New Zealand-made and the benefits over and above just buying that product, what it gives to New Zealand Inc is definitely something that should be highlighted and be made more aware to the population after decisions like this,” he said.

The closure would hasten a move away from farming for some, especially those already considering retirement.

Others might consider converting to other types of farming, such as dairy, sheep and beef or apples, while others would look at subdividing for housing – though it would be better to keep productive land for food production, Foley said.

Current issues around fuel supply served as a stark reminder of supply chain vulnerabilities and food security challenges.

“It could be no different with food if similar things happen and supply chains get impacted and ships don’t arrive. We certainly need to try and preserve what we’ve got already and what we produce in this country.”

Buy NZ Made was first launched in the late 1980s with the slogan “Buy NZ Made & Keep Your Country Working”, though organised campaigns to encourage shoppers to buy local date back to the turn of last century.

The concept recieved a boost as part of the co-operation agreement between the Greens and Labour in 2005, after the Green Party negotiated $11.5 million towards a Buy Kiwi Made campaign, with former Green co-leader Rod Donald as spokesperson. After his death, Green MP Sue Bradford led the programme, which included a marketing push and increased use of New Zealand-made products in government procurement.

The National government suspended the programme in 2008 but BusinessNZ continued to run the parallel Buy NZ Made campaign.

Process Vegetables New Zealand chair David Hadfield said New Zealand consumers needed to buy locally grown produce.

“Otherwise they’re going to wake up one day and there won’t be any and then we’ll be relying on other countries to supply us and we don’t know when the next Covid or a bigger conflict will happen and the boats aren’t coming here with product on board.

“We’re learning in a pretty drastic way with fuel at the moment, aren’t we, about what happens when we have to bring it all in?”

While local products could be more expensive, the bulk of the profit was made after vegetables left the processor, he said.

“The grower is getting about 10 percent of what a packet of peas sells for.”

He wanted a closer look at supermarket margins – which differed by department – as well as the role of distribution centres.

“New Zealanders definitely need to be looking at buying New Zealand grown,” Hadfield said, and should pay close attention to labelling.

“Look at where it’s growing, not where it’s packaged, because there’s quite a bit of stuff coming into the country in bulk and then getting packaged to you,” he said.

It was impossible for New Zealanders to compete with countries where growers were subsidised or where pay and safety regulations were very low, Hadfield said.

The government also needed to investigate imported produce and whether there may be cases of dumping.

“I don’t know the government’s done anything through the Commerce Commission or anybody else to look at that.”

In early March, Watties proposed closing factories in Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch, and shutting down processing lines at one of its Hastings factories.

The move would see 350 workers made redundant, 220 suppliers affected and the end of Wattie’s frozen vegetables, Gregg’s coffee and other household names.

Submissions on the proposal close this week.

In September, Wattie’s reduced its Hawke’s Bay peach production, cutting the contracts of some suppliers in the face of what it claimed was dumping from cheaper markets.

An investigation later found Chinese company J&G International Co. Ltd had been dumping peaches, causing “material injury to the New Zealand industry”.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

MIL OSI

MIL OSI

The Government is backing rural New Zealand by supporting 18 community-based initiatives through its Rural Wellbeing Fund, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey say.

“We established the fund mid-last year to boost wellbeing programmes that support the rural sector,” Mr McClay says.

“These initiatives will ensure farmers and growers have the support they need to thrive.”

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says the Government is committed to delivering faster access to mental health support, including for the one in five people who live in rural communities.

“We’ve focused on supporting proposals that can have the greatest impact on the ground, as well as new initiatives targeting gaps,” Mr Doocey says.

“Partnering with grassroots organisations enables the Government funding to go further and make a real difference.”

The Ministry for Primary Industries and Health New Zealand each allocated $2 million over four years for the fund through Budget 2025.

Note for editors:

MIL OSI

A humble spag bol dinner may no longer be an option for people on a tight budget, with the price of mince rising to its highest level since records began.

Food prices have gone up 4.5 percent in the year to February, with beef mince up a whopping 23.2 percent to $24.46 per kilogram.

Fruit and veggies also shot up by 9.4 percent and meat, poultry and fish were up 7.5 percent annually.

Checkpoint has also been monitoring the cost of everyday groceries across the different supermarket chains for the past four years, we did the same on Tuesday.

Shoppers were squinting their eyes and shaking their heads as they looked over their grocery receipts outside PAK’nSAVE in Auckland’s Royal Oak.

“Nothing’s gone down, everything else has gone up, milk, meat, fruit and vegetables and cheese [it’s] shocking,” one shopper told RNZ.

“It really has changed things in our everyday lives, especially when you have six kids,” said another.

While another person was concerned about wages not keeping up with inflation. “In the last two years, we’ve had to just gradually step up our groceries budget which has been really difficult cause wages don’t always increase to cover the inflation at the same time.”

The rising costs were also tough for those on pensions. “I’m a pensioner, I live on a fixed income so it’s crazy.”

While another person commented on the lengths some people are considering. “I was looking at this lady walking down one aisle and she had very pink eyes looking at the pet food and I thought I know what she’s thinking, it’s getting too hard”.

Stats NZ data out on Tuesday found food prices were up 4.5 percent in the year to February, with mince recording its biggest ever increase – up $4.60 per kilogram.

Sirloin steak wasn’t far behind, shooting up 21.4 percent over the year to $44.71 per kilogram.

Bad news for chocolate lovers, too, with a 250-gram block up 20.3 percent.

Shoppers told Checkpoint because of the high price of some items such as cheese, they have stopped buying them.

One shopper said “more frozen veggies instead of fresh, if they’re not as cheap.”

While the price of butter was still causing pain. “The butter, it’s crazy, it’s almost doubled.”

Some shoppers said their habits had changed. “I don’t buy red meat.”

And the classic kiwi staple was also raising eyebrows. “I used to buy 500 grams of good quality mince, it used to be 10, 11 dollars, now it’s 14.”

It wasn’t all bad news, though olive oil was down 22.1 percent to $17.62 a litre and eggs saw a 6.2 percent drop to $8.77 per dozen.

BNZ chief economist Mike Jones said international meat prices are at record levels, driven in particularly by a tightening in the United States market.

“Cattle numbers are at the lowest level since 1951 so they are short of beef, and that is pushing the global price up.

“We’re now seeing that reflected more and more in retail prices that we are paying.”

He said it’s a similar story for many everyday essentials.

“Much higher mince and meat prices, you’ve got bread, veggies all going up, in some cases in double digits.

“We’re [also] staring down some pretty big increases in petrol prices, so it is very much concentrated in some of those essential categories.

“So, it’s going to be particularly tough going I think for households that never really got much relief [from] the cost of living.”

Checkpoint has done the same shop every year since 2022 to compare prices at the country’s main supermarket chains.

We did another comparison on Tuesday in light of Tuesday’s Stats NZ data.

In May 2022, Checkpoint’s shop at Woolworths Greenlane cost $238 and was $217 at PAK’nSAVE Royal Oak.

On Tuesday those items at PAK’nSAVE have shot up to a total of $257, an extra $40.

A shop at Woolworths coming out at $293, adding an extra $55.

Compared to our shop in 2022, most fresh fruits and vegetables were more expensive, but overall, most are at least a dollar cheaper compared to last year.

Other items that are cheaper or have stayed the same throughout the years are Wattie’s Baked Beans, tomato sauce, Marmite, Pam’s canned diced tomatoes, a kilogram’s worth of plain white rice and items in the baking aisle such as plain flour and sugar.

But meat and dairy products are clearly hurting shoppers the most, with a kilogram of mince at Woolworths at $21.90 a kilogram, that’s an extra $7.

Other shoppers told Checkpoint the cost of gluten-free products had gone up over the years, and some were buying items such as butter in bulk to cut costs.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

New Zealand would benefit from a regime banning “excessive” supermarket prices, Consumer NZ says.

The organisation says some supermarket shoppers are questioning how quickly food prices have risen, as conflict in the Middle East pushes up oil prices.

There have been warnings that the cost of food may rise as producer and transportation costs increase.

Consumer NZ head of research and advocacy Gemma Rasmussen said it was understandable that shoppers were worried about how high prices could go.

Stats NZ data for February showed even before the impact of the conflict on oil prices was felt, food prices were up 4.5 percent year-on-year. Fruit and vegetables were up 9.4 percent and meat, poultry and fish 7.5 percent.

“When you pick up an item off the shelf, countless factors contribute to the final price. That makes it extremely difficult for consumers to know whether they are paying a fair and accurate amount,” Rasmussen said.

“Whether you’re an everyday shopper or a seasoned economist, breaking down the true pricing of any food item in a supermarket is close to impossible.

“The question for shoppers is: Are the prices you’re paying for food fair and competitive, and are there instances when the supermarkets are using external pressures as a smokescreen to jack their prices?”

She said when Cyclone Gabrielle hit the Hawkes Bay, she spoke to a producer who provided an example of a produce item that was affected by the floods.

“This resulted in the store price going from $3.50 a kg to $9 to $14.

“They said, if it’s sold for $3.50 retail, the supermarket is buying it for around $1.99 wholesale. It ended up reaching $4.50 wholesale, but despite this, it ended up being sold in the supermarkets for as high as $14.

“One supplier spoke on an instance when the margin a major supermarket made on a frozen product was close to 60 percent. He’s currently selling frozen produce with an alternative retailer who is ‘a dream to work with’ and takes only a 25 percent margin.”

She said businesses could set or increase their prices as they saw fit unless there was some form of price regulation in place.

“Australia had a similar model. However, from 1 July 2026, it will introduce a specific excessive pricing regime for very large supermarkets that will ban prices considered excessive in relation to supply cost plus a reasonable margin. If one of the big players breaches these rules it will face penalties of up to A$10 million, three times the benefit gained, or 10 percent of turnover.

“In effect, this is a direct attempt to curb price gouging and hold major supermarkets accountable where mark-ups are excessive and unjustified.

“New Zealand could benefit from a similar regime. Long-term structural reform has so far done little to meaningfully reduce supermarket pricing pressure, and with cost-of-living concerns continuing, households remain exposed to pricing that may be difficult to justify.”

Rasmussen said cost-of-living concerns were rising and shoppers were “continually” affected by potentially unfair or excessive pricing.

“New Zealanders don’t have time to wait for long term structural changes to be implemented and take effect.”

Woolworths and Foodstuffs were approached for comment.

Separately, Foodstuffs provided an update that said it was still business as usual at its supermarkets but its suppliers were planning ahead.

“New Zealand sits at the end of global supply chains, so we’re always looking upstream and keeping an eye on international events that could have flow-on effects for us,” said managing director Chris Quin.

“A large proportion of our products are grown or manufactured locally in New Zealand or Australia, sourced from Asia, or travel from Europe around the Cape of Good Hope at the bottom of Africa. So, right now our grocery supplies are largely unaffected by the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and our normal offer’s available in our stores. 

“The main issue at the moment is higher fuel, freight and packaging costs rather than product availability.

“We’ve seen the cost of diesel for our transport fleet rise significantly, but at this stage we’re absorbing that to help keep our food prices as steady as possible for customers.

“For every dollar on-shelf, around two-thirds goes to suppliers for the goods themselves.

“So if suppliers are facing higher freight, fuel, packaging or other input costs, those pressures flow through over time. As we’ve all seen, this is a fast-moving situation, with no clear timeframes or outcomes. The effects of what’s happening now with supply chains and fuel prices could still be felt months down the track.”

Woolworths said it was watching the situation closely. “At this stage our stock levels and pricing have not been affected but we continue to monitor it.”

Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money

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

Rising food prices are hitting New Zealanders in the pocket and driving them to hunger says MP Ricardo Menéndez March, Green Party spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

“While the supermarkets have been making $1 million a day in excess profits, food prices have surged 4.5% over the last year. Fruit and vegetables, a core staple, are up a massive 9.4%.”

“The stark contrast is appalling, and these ridiculous prices are not sustainable for New Zealanders who are being strong-armed by a duopoly.”

“Woolworths NZ made $100 million in profit over the past six months while one in three households are experiencing food insecurity, yet the Government is doing nothing to address rising food prices.”

“Can we really trust that the supermarkets won’t exploit the emerging fuel crisis to needlessly increase their prices? Supermarkets must be held accountable.”

“This only has the potential to get worse, unless the Government actually steps up to take on the supermarket duopoly.”

“Consumers have been waiting for structural change for years, yet no government has been willing to take on the duopoly and stop them from price gouging ordinary New Zealanders.”

“While large corporations are generating record profits, thousands of families are forced to make impossible choices about what they can spend their income on.”

“Banning price gouging, taxing excess profits, or breaking up the duopoly are all simple and effective ways to make sure massive corporations stop exploiting New Zealanders, ensuring all of us can afford to have food on the table, a safe place to call home, and live a good life.”

“We can end corporate exploitation of ordinary New Zealanders so that everyone can make ends meet,” says Ricardo.

MIL OSI