February 18, 2026 • 36 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Jason Te Brake, Shane Jones, Farmer Tom Martin, Peter Newbold, and Chris Russell.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to a Suzu get demo
deals on the tough Dmax today. Look, let me.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You've got the powers. You know you're rest.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
We believe.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Ap to We kick off the show today. Good afternoon,
I'm Jamie McKay. This is the Country, Thank you Farmland's
and I Suzu appt. We kick it off with Spandau
ballet gold. This Kiwi fruit is gold at the moment.
It's also green and red. We're going to kick off
the show with Jason to Break, Chief executive of Zestbury,
released its final forecast for the twenty five twenty six
(00:59):
season yesterday record returns on a per hectare basis. We'll
tell you all about that in a tick. The other
big news today, Gee, this is a surprise, isn't it.
At Fonterra's virtual Special meeting today or earlier today, Fontera
can confirm that its Farmer shareholders have approved the scheme
(01:19):
of arrangement for the two dollars per share capital return.
Listen to these numbers. Ninety eight point eighty five percent,
you could say, ninety nine percent of total shareholder votes
cast were in support of the capital return proposal two
dollars a share.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
The dairy farmers voted for an early Christmas. Also on
the show today the Prince of the Provinces, Shane j
Ownes mining, wild Dogs in Northland and mad Dog Peters.
Tom Martin's a UK farming correspondent, Chris Russell's Our Ossie
Guide will head to both of those places, and Peter
Newbold pg PGG right since GM of real Estate monthly
(02:02):
look at the state of the rural market. But let's
have a look at the state of the Kiwi fruit
market with the chief executive of Zespriy Jason to break, Jason,
a good news story for your industry. It's an industry
on the up and up. Good afternoon.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Hey you, I'm Jamie.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well I'm not bad, probably not as good as you,
because you have got record returns per hec there across
literally all categories. You've got a crop of what two
hundred and fifteen million trays you're going to sell and
that's a record crop this season. You're even looking for
more next season, two hundred and twenty million. And you
(02:40):
can find a home for all this.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Jason, Yeah, I think the results from Marshia. I mean
the positive it's a reflection of a lot of hard
work that goes in across the industry to pick, pack
and get some good quality fruit into the market. And
we're seeing very strong demand for that, particularly off the
back of some of our marketing and bread and campaigns.
(03:01):
So very positive. And then as we look into the
twenty twenty sixth season, we've just started harvest in the
last week or so. I've got the new season, so
we're into it. We're still seeing strong demand for our markets.
Very positive in terms of our outlook into the season
that we're getting into.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
And past seasons you've had some issues with fruit quality
later in the season. You're trying to bring the harvest forward.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, I mean the aim is this is a perishable product,
so we've got to make sure that we treated as such.
So we're trying to lift our sales early in the season,
trying to manage good quality fruit through the supply chain,
giving our consumers the best possible experience as well to
support the brand. So that is an ongoing focus that
we continue to have.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Good old staple Zespbury Green and I thought it was
going to be yesterday's key recruit a year or two ago,
but it's battling back. You're now forecasting a record return
of ten dollars a tray for the green.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Seen really good demand for green around the world, and ultimately,
you remember, we got our EU health claim signed off
last year, fifteen years in the works and we got
the first fresh fruit signed off for EU health claim.
So we've seen demand actually lift again on the back
of that. You know, people recognizing the digestive health benefits
(04:21):
of green kiwi fruit, so it's quite exciting for green
and recognizing some positive results.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Well, I see a news talk said bes resident health
freak of the Husk, Mike Hosking. He eats green rather
than gold because of the health benefits.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Yeah, we'd always recommend to have gold and green and
also mixing some ruby read as well when you've got it.
So you know, obviously gold will fighter the and see
green's great for health benefits of your digestive health, and
then ruby red is just a great tasting product.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
So yeah, yeah, yeah, but gold tastes better than green.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Well, it depends who you ask, yes, clearly if you
are Hosking, or if you ask others. You know, particularly
throughout our European markets and some of our Japanese markets.
They actually like the taste of green more than gold,
but we still see pretty strong demand on gold as
well with that sweeter taste.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I like green gold, if that makes sense. You know,
the hard for it, it's not, it's not it's not
too soft and sweet. Hey, there's also a sizeable premium
for organic not only green but also gold.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yees. Yeah, we're seeing strong growth and organics, particularly let
out of the US market for US, but also Europe
and Japan still remain quite strong for US. So yeah,
we are definitely seeing consumers valuing the organic proposition. We're
continuing to see more demand for more fruit in organics
as well. So it's so positive there here.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
And yet the returns per heck there, well, there's not much.
There's not much difference in returns per heck there. Obviously,
it just costs a lot more to produce organic products.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
It's more around production yield, Jamie. So you have a
lower yield coming off orchard with an organic orchard, So
therefore you're asking for a bit more value from the
consumer to be able to top that up.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You're doing a sales trip to Europe anytime soon. Is
it true that you refuse to go business class? I said,
I wouldn't mention this, but when you're as tall as
you are, Jason, you're like six foot six, I can't
believe you don't go up the front end of the plane.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
I've just come back from Europe two weeks ago or yeah,
so I've had a couple of weeks in Europe. Still
positive up there, but you're still still sitting in the
same place on the plane, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, well that's premium economy. It's not cattle classes.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
It it's premium economy. They look after you there.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, well you're I wish all executives. I got Myles
Hurrel on the show tomorrow, Jason. They tell me he's
got his own seat on the New Zealand to London
or New Zealand to LA flight. So there you go,
and his ain't in premium. I can tell you that.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I don't judge others in terms of where they want
to set but look, I mean all of Espury are
flying in the same same Kevin. Now, so we're focused
on actually maximizing and getting efficiency for the value that
we see. Number half of our rollers to do our business.
So yes, just a blanket rules.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Jeez, you're a good boss. There you go. Well, some
would view you as a good boss. Those who used
to sit up the front probably don't. Hey, Jason to break.
Congratulations running a very good ship there at Zesbury. Oopsy gone?
Has he right?
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Thanks?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Okay, Jason, see you later. Oh yeah, man, oh man
squeezed what it's not squeezed into premium economy. Leading by example,
Jason to break. The chief executive of Zespury. See, that's
an organization that's got its house and order. I guess
she could say the same of Fonterra these days. We'll
have Miles Hurrell on the show tomorrow. I'm going to
(07:57):
ask him if he's going to lift the price of
milk because to the Fonterra Farmer shareholders voted ninety nine
percent in support of the two dollars capital return. No
surprise there at all. Up next and well, I'm sure
he'll have some surprises for us. He always does. The
Prince of the Province's My Tour a Shane Jones.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
The shah.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
One one who rhyme words never come. He is the
self proclaimed Prince of the Province's Martua, Shane Jones, let's
talk about mining wild dogs are Northland and mad Dog
Peters who won't support the Indian FTA. Shane Jones, where
do you want to start?
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Well born and bred in the north Sadly we do
have dangerous homicidal dogs. But I'll tell you what's really
feral is the personality, the character and the mindset of
these losers who own these dogs. Often they're covered a tattoos,
wandering around regarding these dogs as trophies. When dad brought
us up and awa nui, as you know, born bred
(09:07):
on a farm, dog went bad, went down the road.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
Shot at problem, taking care of them.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Well, that's what we need to do. But I can't
say on radio we need to shoot the owners. But
they certainly have to face consequences. And I see instant
mad Dog Peters himself as saying, maybe the owners in
the case of these tragic fatalities need to face manslaughter charges.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
Well, they are so riddled with drugs and all sorts
of other social problems they have no conception of the
seriousness of what they've done. So the sooner they're removed
from society the better. The sooner that we have the
ability for these dog rangers to immediately confiscate dogs and
(09:53):
basically summarily execute them because they have no real use
to man or man or woman, or the community. They've
come into New Zealand, have been bred. They're dangerous, they
don't belong in our New Zealand culture.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
Look, there's been some.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Suggestion via a lady a bet. I don't know where
I sought that we should dissect the dogs. We're not
at a New Zealand fairs. We're not into transgender pets.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Just shoot them.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
I'm with you on that one. Now, the government's ring
fencing eighty million dollars in the Regional Infrastructure Fund to
support the extraction and processing of minerals rare earth minerals. Now,
is this kind of the provincial growth fund and drag?
Speaker 5 (10:33):
You're talking about those Healthyon days before Justinda lost the
plot and destroyed the economy and fled as a political
refugee to Harvard University, my old place of learning. You're
talking about twenty seventeen.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah, yeah, but you were going to plant New Zealand
and pine trees. You were going to plant a billion
of them.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
No, we had the credo, right tree, right place, focused
on a few native plantings and working with some of
the big forestry companies.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
That is so in the past.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
We're going to focus on the future, and.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
The future is digging it up and damming it up.
How are you getting on, by the way, with your
debate over the gold mine in Central Otago with Saren Taylor.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Well, I want the God of the South or the
voice of the South, other than your good self to
be the MC. I'm waiting my office to learn more
about the details of the location, the timing.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
There was a suggestion that.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
We have a debate without an audience. Well, look, everything
in my life is never Clayton's. Okay, I'm gladly going
to have the debate in the South Island. I suggested
they have it in Terras and then I've got no
compunction whatsoever with debating with anyone down there. But we
are not having a debate where there's no audience. That
suggests to me that although an event is being planned,
(11:51):
they want to kind of transmit it via technology to
the rest of the world. Bar this is something where
the local people have to have an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Jamie, I know you love an audience. Minds you Saren
Taylor's a former television presenter. He's fraid of performing in
front of an audience either. I are white with bated
breath to see this debate. I just want to finish
on the Indian FTA. When are you and Winston going
to pull your heads on?
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Look, I just had a meeting with a bunch of
chaps in the Minister's office Minister Todd to do with forestry.
Winston and I are not luddites. We realize that people
are already trading over there in that part of the
world for forestry, et cetera. But the deal did not
cover off agriculture, and the deal sadly does not leave
(12:36):
enough protections or safeguards in respect of immigration. We are
going to continue to remind Kiwis that unfettered immigration is
going to faithfully change the trajectory and the character of
our nation.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
And we're not having it.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
And people are not campaigning.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
On no, no, you're just being racist. Well, Shane, some
of these Indians who might be migrants here will do
the work that some of the drug Northlanders won't do.
And I'm not just picking on Northland there. You talk
about getting the nefts off the couch.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
I think that there's a case for ensuring that we
have migrants that we need, not ones that need us.
Dour Stephen Joyce opened up sadly the door a barn door,
and all sorts of undesirables floated in under the rubric
of our international education. So we can't unwind that. But no,
there will not be unfettered immigration from India. There will
(13:29):
only be migrants that add to the value of our country.
We are not going to be a dumping ground for
people trying to come to New Zealand and set up
New Delhi when New Zealand, that's just never going to happen.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, but they do the work. It's like the Shane,
It's like the Filipino community. If we didn't have them,
there wouldn't be a cow milkt in Southland. Well, we're
a Catholic church remaining.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
I've got a great deal of affection for the community
of the Filipinos that are sustaining the Catholic community working,
and they are the people that the country needs. But
we don't need any more uber drivers.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Well that's very racist.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
Mate, just because I said that. The people that are
plundering all the rock palls around Auckland happen to be
from the migrant community, and in a playful way, I
use the term the orient express. Doesn't mean that I'm
a racist. This shows that I'm an earthy, humorous, but
red blooded, tough New Zealand first politician and.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
A very modest man to boot Shane Jones, thanks for your.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
Time, see every buddy bye said thank.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You, Shane twenty five after twelve. What do you think
the Prince of the provinces is he? Is he on
the money? Or him and Winston just good old fashioned racists.
Now some of your texts coming in. Let's have a look, Hi, Jamie.
The debate should be in Cromwell. The support is extremely
strong there for the mind to go ahead. People need
(14:52):
jobs and opportunity. And here's another one. Business class is
justified of traveling for business and you need to thinking
straight at journey's end. And you're dead right if you're
going all the way to Europe and you've got to
get off the plane and be smart and refreshed in
a meeting, very important meeting in the case of senior executives,
(15:14):
you would think, I think it's absolutely justified. You could
do a Todd maclay of course when he went over
to India to do the free trade agreement, he didn't sleep.
He went business class over there, slept, did the meetings
business class on the way home, didn't have to pay
for a hotel room. Okay, last chance, last chance saloon
(15:35):
today and I'll announce the final winner tomorrow for our
double pass to the Saturday Evening Championship event at the
Golden Shares and the World Sharing Champs happening in Masterton
fourth to the seventh of March. Someone from the committee,
can you text me on five to double O nine
and tell me if you can actually even buy evening
tickets now, I know that they're in such hot demand,
(15:58):
so just text me and give me your names so
I know your kosher and I'll let people know whether
tickets are still available for the Saturday Evening Championship event. Okay,
it's going to be all happening in Marsterden, fourth to
the seventh of March. We'll be there on the Friday
broadcasting yesterday's winner or yesterday's winner from yesterday's entry in
(16:19):
Robinson from Talpau You'll be driving down the road to Marsterden.
Good on you en final chants, so you need to
text Golden and your name and your address to five
double O nine and we'll announce our final winner tomorrow
for the Saturday Evening Championship event. Up next our UK correspondent,
(16:41):
Farmer Tom Martin.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
So she's a friend line.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
All over the planet today on the country hopefully, Chris
Russell Air, Australian correspondent. But let's head to the UK.
A bleak winter for British farmers. The sun hasn't shone
in some places since the beginning of January. Farmer Tom Martin,
how's it been at your place?
Speaker 6 (17:15):
Oh?
Speaker 7 (17:15):
Well, the sun always shines when I talk to you, Jamie.
We are in the East where we get a little
bit less rain, and we have seen the sun. But
it's been pretty wet and miserable, and the guys down
in the Southwest of particular and up in the northwest
are pretty wet, fed up and miserable. But it is winter.
It is Britain. We do expect a bit of wet weather.
(17:37):
So whilst it's made you know, a couple of headlines,
it's not something that's bothering us too much. Looking forward
to a bit of spring, certainly warming up a little
bit after the next couple of days.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Well, I'm pleased to hear that Sakia Starmer is actually
causing you more problems, you, British farmers, more problems than
the weather.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
Yes, it's been a bleak winter for Sakre. It's been
a bit winter for us all, to be honest and just,
and just a heck of a lot going on. I mean,
we could talk about inheritance tax issues with farming. It's
it's something that you and I talk about a huge amount,
and it's front of mind within within UK agriculture, but
there's dozens of other things which are affecting us as farmers,
(18:20):
affecting us, affecting non farmers as well. So it feels
like a pretty bleak time even when the sunshine at
the moment.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Well, you're doing something about it. You're not only talking
the talk, You're going to walk the walk. You're headed
to court to take on the government over lack of
consultation around this most dreaded and hated inheritance takes.
Speaker 7 (18:43):
Yeah. I mean, I don't believe anyone's here to make
up the numbers. We're here to make a difference. And
the way I'm making a difference is I am. I'm
the lead applicant in a in a judicial review. It's
a two day case, pretty intense case where we are
making the claim that government didn't consult appropriately before it
brought in inheritance tax legislation. If we win, that will
(19:06):
force the government to consult more appropriately. Now they may
come to the same conclusion. Of course, I really hope
they do, but we are The case is they did
not consult appropriately enough, and I do think if they
had consulted oppublic they would have come to a different conclusion.
So it's going to be in the High Court, High
Court down in London. So I should put my suit
(19:29):
on for two days, right in the middle of spring
planting and go there and see what we can do.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Well, we'll talk about spring planting in a moment, but
as a Kia starmer under threat to lose his job,
you've got all this controversy around. Lord, is it Mendelssohn,
The bloke is standing around in his jockey underpants, Madison.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
Yeah, that was a moment when we thought Starma was
actually going but he managed to escape that one. Look,
you know, without getting too I'm not sure we've got
anyone better to replace him. At the moment and the
turbulence perhaps of him going would be worse, you know,
than than than than him staying. So it's a bit
(20:12):
of a it's a bit of a challenge. We're not
enjoying things under a government that I think as a nation,
eighteen months ago we were thinking, well, you know, maybe
it's time for a change. Uh, you know, we were
looking with optimism for a new a new government, and
our hopes have been have been dashed. It doesn't matter
what's sect here in So there've been been some huge challenges,
(20:35):
certainly certainly with him farming. Although we met our local
MP last night, so that was Tuesday night, UK time.
You know, you always get some warm words. But I
think I think that I think he understands the message
that he needs to understand farming better. And that's that's
one thing we've got through in the last few days
and weeks and that's a positive to start with.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Else he correspondent Chris Russell is going to talk to
us about grain price as having in the past four
years in Australia, arable farmers are having a really tough
time of it here in New Zealand, Tom, I take
it it's pretty much disso in.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
The UK, the outlooks pretty bleak, you know, varying across
the sectors, but within within cereals, within arable farming, Yeah,
pretty bleak. And perhaps you're the same in New Zealand
as we are in the UK. If we just didn't
produce anything for an entire year, I don't think the
world would really notice. I mean, I can't see the
(21:31):
world markets being rocks. And so when we have a
really good harvest or when we have an absolutely terrible
harvesters we've just had. World prices are affected by world
events and not by the UK events. So you know,
we've got low prices and we've had some low production,
a bit of a double ammy. And with everything else
going on, there's a lot of farmers effected financially and
(21:53):
emotionally mentally as well.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Yeah. Yeah, a dairy farmers and red meat farmers are
doing particularly well at the moment. And I know that
it's a tougher gig farming in the UK, but how
are your livestock farmers going. They've got to be doing
better than the arable farmers.
Speaker 7 (22:08):
Upholn down corn. Yeah, it's a much better situation in
those sectors, not without their issues. You know, we're we're
we're hearing recently that we only and we look up
to you guys only we only catch two percent of
the illegal meat coming into the UK. So you can
imagine the issues with swine flu, with various other diseases
(22:31):
coming into us in an island and so you know, big,
big concerns there. And of course we had a very
dry summer, so forage is it a bit of a premium,
but certainly the meat sectors and dairy doing doing doing
a bit better than while doing considerably better than we
are in the arable side of things.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Hey farmer Tom Martin, thanks for your Tom on the Country.
We've run out of time to talk about Andrew mount
Betten Wins are the artists formerly known as Prince Andrew.
We might chat about him next month. Great to catch
you on the country.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
Thank goodness for that.
Speaker 7 (23:01):
I look forward to the next moneth because.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Head on your Tom, thank you for your time. Twenty
five away from one. Just got a text from a
reliable source and wire wrapper who says he was told
last week by the present the Secretary for the Golden
Shares and World Sharing CHEMPS that all tickets for all
sessions had sold out. I'll confirm or deny that one
on tomorrow's show. So this could absolutely be your last chance.
(23:24):
It will be your last chance to get along to
the Saturday Evening Championship event. We're going to sort out
the winner of the Golden Shares and the wall Handling
and the sharing plus the world chaps. So you need
to text Golden and your name and address to five
double nine. Up next Jane Ferguson and for Michelle Watt
for Rural News. We'll have look at Sports news for
you as well.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
I got tho your swee.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Don't you join the Queen of Diamond twenty two away
from one? You're with the Country. Jane Ferguson's in here
with news. She's trying to get her hands on my
Grant McCallum branded mobile phone screen cleaner. Mits off Ferguson.
He's Jane with Rural News.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
The Country's world news with Cob Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower brand. Visit steel Ford dot Co
dot z for your local stockers.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Don you just need to be nice to mcnational the
three thousand of them apparently, so you might better get
one I was.
Speaker 8 (24:25):
Under the impression that it was like just a piece
of material, but this is actually quite substantial and a
little bit fatter, I.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Say, say that or to ruin the story. What's on
Rural Now Okay?
Speaker 8 (24:33):
In Rural News, Walls of New Zealand LP says the
strong wall sector is continuing to turn a corner, with
farm gate prices rising and the company posting its second
consecutive annual profit. Chair Richard Young says demand for strong
wallers now outstripping supply in several categories, helping auction prices
left by about thirty two percent over the past eighteen months.
(24:54):
WNZLP reported a profit of one hundred and one hundred
and sixty seven thousand dollars for them twenty twenty five
financial years, slightly up on last year, with revenue rising
to twenty nine point one million. Young says the result
shows that business is now on a more sustainable footing
after years of disruption in the industry.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Yes, go wooll go wool. There's Jane ferguson Worth. Rural
News has sport.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Sports on the country with AFCO one hundre se KEI.
We owned and trusted it. That's rare.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
The New Zealand And sale GP team have no idea
when their munted boat will be back on the water.
Co chief executive BLEACHUK says their initial thoughts are solely
on the well being of their team and a return
to racing isn't top of mind. Premier League leaders Arsenal
have blown a two goal lead to draw two all
against bottom placed Wolves Away and birdies are proving hard
(25:46):
to come by. Sounds like my golf. Birdies are proving
hard to come by in the opening phase of the
New Zealand PGA Championship at Paraparamu. Currently only seven of
the seventy golfers who have teed off are under par.
That's sport for you up there, Peter Newbolt, how much
is your farm worth monthly? Here on the country, we
(26:07):
tell you what your farm's worth with this bloke, Peter Newbolt,
GM of PGG rights in real estate is also the
GM of the livestock division as well. But let's concentrate
on the value of farms, Peter. We'll start with dairy.
Surprise Surprise, Fonterra farmers have voted ninety nine percent in
support of the two dollars capital return with prices improving
(26:30):
land values up and four hundred thousand dollars for your
average dairy farmer. That sector is pretty buoyant at the moment.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Oh yeah, definitely, it's buoyant. And I think the interesting
thing we're seeing is that there's more demand out there
than what we can supply, which is really interesting. And
I think what people are doing, they're looking out and
are seeing an industry which has a bright outlook if
you look over the next two of the three years.
(27:00):
So yeah, it's a real challenge at the moment. And
then of course you've got a lot of existing daring
farmers who are sitting back saying, well, why aren't I
maximize the returns at the moment which look good over
the next couple of years. So a whole lot of
things have come into play, and yeah, we've got a
shortage of good dairy properties.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Dairy farmers in demand. What about sheep and beef, because
sheep and beef are getting record returns for red meat.
But we've also got a kind of factor that against
the fact that in recent times sheep and beef properties
have perhaps been inflated in value by the carbon farming story.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Yeah, well they have. There's probably a couple of things
going on here. One is, you know, the shed and
beef farmer has had it tough if you look back
over the last few years, and they're coming into a
period where it looks really healthy for the next two
or three years. So a lot of them are banking
those good values they're getting at the moment. So that's
probably just started to put a bit more I guess
(28:02):
interest in that whole sheet and beef. But one of
the areas that we're found is interesting is if you
look what was happening, how forestry et cetera was underpinning
the values of sheet and beef properties, and so what's
happening now. There's a number of I guess farmers out
there who are struggling to get their head round the
(28:23):
actual value of their property, because of course they've dropped.
But if you add in the value of stock at
the moment, then actually the proposition is really strong, and
I think a number of them once they suddenly do
the numbers on that, they'll realize that, you know, the
value is fairly similar to what they could have been
achieving if they put their properties on the market during
(28:43):
that forestry boom.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
As Esbury came out yesterday with record returns on a
per hectare basis for keyw fruit growers. I know we
haven't quite hit the healthy in days of two million
dollars per canopy heck there for a key We fruit orchard,
but they're getting up there again.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah, well it's really interesting. You know, we saw one
recently which was one point eight and you know we
haven't seen those sort of values. You'd have to go
back to you know, twenty two for that. And I
think the other thing is you and I have often
talked it's been a long time coming, but we're now
just starting to see orchards come on the market and
(29:23):
we're starting to see some activity in that space. So look,
I think it's really good. And the other thing too
is if you look at Zespree in the market and
what they're doing there, again, it's like dairy, it looks
really healthy when you look out over the next few years.
So again there's another industry which I think is performing
really well. And then if you add them all up,
(29:45):
I don't think we've seen it where sheet and beef,
barry and Kiwi fruit are in such good space and
such a good space.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Rather, yes, the planets are aligning for farming. Just on
that subject, Peter, and you bought I know, maybe you
put on your livestock hat here you were down Southern
Field days such positivity. I was only down there for
one day, but it was oozing out of the place.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Oh look, I've never seen anything like it. I thought
it was one of the best events I've been to.
And everyone had a smile and there was enthusiasm and
it was just wonderful to be there.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Peter Newbold, wonderful to have you on the show. We'll
catch you again next month. Onwards and upwards.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Thanks, Jeremine, have a good day.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
His name is Chris Russell. He's our Australian correspondent. Chris,
like on our side of the Tasman Wall, prices on
your side are at the highest level for seven years.
Speaker 6 (30:42):
Yes, absolutely, and I think this is more about a
reduction in supply than anything else. But China has now
increased their market share of our wall to eighty eight
point four percent, so that's pretty much all of it.
We've taken the wall actions for the first time, actually
caking a complete break until February twenty fourth because of
(31:04):
the Chinese New Year. Because there are no other bios there,
so while would you bother having the wool action running?
And so we saw a sixteen cent improvement just this
week to now sixteen ninety three cents per kilo for
twenty one micron wall, which is what I always use
on the show. And so all in all in all,
(31:26):
everyone is saying, well, you know, there's at least some
money in that. I think there are a number of
factors that play Jamie. I think number one. Obviously, the
flock is at its lowest little down about sixty three
million head, and when I think of when I was
at university in the seventies, it was running at about
one hundred and seventy million head, so that's a big factor.
But also we've made some good breakthroughs on using short
(31:48):
stayle wool, on mixing wool with cotton. I've talked about
that before to you, and I think the number of
things are coming together. And my own prediction, possibly against
the trend, is that man made five again more and
more on the nose with people. People don't want all
these plastics everywhere. Man made fibers are definitely the way forward,
(32:09):
and cotton and wool I think will continue to go. Well,
whether we have enough or whether the horse has bolted
in terms of getting below a critical threshold level for
mills building and hold of the wall, that's going to
be the big question, because if they can't get the wall, well,
they'll just make the change anyway.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Well, they sheep farmers are doing well along over due.
Poor old grain farmers on the side are having a battle,
and I know they are on your side. Your grain
prices have.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
Halved, yes, well, again that's the opposite problem. We've got
way too much grain being produced, about an eighty million
ton surplace globally, so the grain price have taken a hit.
We're looking if you look at the overall global price,
which is meant which is actually measured in US sense
(32:57):
per bushel of grain, it's gone from around fourteen hundred
US since per bushell four years ago to today just
under six hundred cent of bushel, So that's a massive
drop in the global price. Now, of course people say, well,
there's more money in having grain. We've had a record
crop this year, so they're still producing grain, still selling it.
(33:20):
But nonetheless the prices are not very exciting. And it's
just as well as some of the techniques and the
rain and better machinery and so on, have a mobile
and to keep their margins up and they can still
make money out of that. Jamie.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Goat meat production and exports record highs. Have you, Chris Russell,
ever partaken of goat meat? Have you tried it? What's
it like?
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Oh? I had it just on Monday night. I had
a made up from Victoria and we went and had
Indian food. We had goat meat Marsala. And you might
remember last year when I al might have been the
year before last, when I was on a caravan try
in Western Australia. We went and saw the goat Queen
who not only raises goats, but she produces really made
(34:04):
meals from her kitchen near Geraldton and ships them all
over Australia. Goat meat, of course, is eaten in more
countries than any other type of red meat in the world,
so globally it's the number one meat. Not so much
in our diets here in Australia and New Zealand because
we're spoilt with lamb and beef, but it's really the
export levels are really going up. We're talking about six
(34:27):
dollars a kilo now, they're getting for goats, and we're
still not talking massive tommage when you think we ship
about one hundred and sixty thousand tons a month of
beef to America and we ship fifty four thousand tons
a year of goat meat. But nonetheless it's up fifty
percent the export value year on year, forty seven percent
(34:48):
in production, and the goat farmers up in Queensland, you know,
are doing quite well, and they're getting more and more restrictions.
They now have to put electronic IDs in their ears,
which has cost two or three dollars ahead. So that's
causing some grief from a margin point of view, but
it's they're like the magic pudding up there. You know,
as fast as you take them the next year, you
(35:10):
can't see where you've been. Once upon a time, there
were something you harvested. When you wanted a new car
and new fridge, you went out and just harvested a
couple of thousand goats. Told them that someone got the
money and went and bought your new car. Now they
are a primary business for a lot of those Queensland
farmers in particular, and they really come on because there's
such a demand for seas we've got new Avatwin. It's
(35:31):
being built, new exports being sent out of Australia and
I think that will continue to throw.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
At the moment, Jamie, Chris, I'm out of time. Haven't
got time to talk about your wonderful campaign at the
T twenty World Cup cricket. What a shame the oss
is going out early and things of that. Desperate across
the Tasman that a Bob's leader who finishes last is
now your most popular sports person, Daisy Johnson.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
That's weirdness. You's got more followers than Russell Crowe.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Oh well you can have Russell anyhow, I've got to go.
We'll catch you next week mate. There Ela, Thanks Chris.
Actually it was a bit harsh on Russell crow here
is excellent in the movie Nuremberg. It'll be you a
better buy it online. It'll be streaming online somewhere now.
It's well worth a lock. Hey, we'll catch you again tomorrow.
We'll have Miles Hurrl on the show. Is he going
(36:23):
to lift the price of milk? Tomorrow? And wap to
wait and see.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Aisuzu get demo deals
on the tough Dmax today
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to a Suzu get demo
deals on the tough Dmax today. Look, let me.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You've got the powers. You know you're rest.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
We believe.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Ap to We kick off the show today. Good afternoon,
I'm Jamie McKay. This is the Country, Thank you Farmland's
and I Suzu appt. We kick it off with Spandau
ballet gold. This Kiwi fruit is gold at the moment.
It's also green and red. We're going to kick off
the show with Jason to Break, Chief executive of Zestbury,
released its final forecast for the twenty five twenty six
(00:59):
season yesterday record returns on a per hectare basis. We'll
tell you all about that in a tick. The other
big news today, Gee, this is a surprise, isn't it.
At Fonterra's virtual Special meeting today or earlier today, Fontera
can confirm that its Farmer shareholders have approved the scheme
(01:19):
of arrangement for the two dollars per share capital return.
Listen to these numbers. Ninety eight point eighty five percent,
you could say, ninety nine percent of total shareholder votes
cast were in support of the capital return proposal two
dollars a share.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
The dairy farmers voted for an early Christmas. Also on
the show today the Prince of the Provinces, Shane j
Ownes mining, wild Dogs in Northland and mad Dog Peters.
Tom Martin's a UK farming correspondent, Chris Russell's Our Ossie
Guide will head to both of those places, and Peter
Newbold pg PGG right since GM of real Estate monthly
(02:02):
look at the state of the rural market. But let's
have a look at the state of the Kiwi fruit
market with the chief executive of Zespriy Jason to break, Jason,
a good news story for your industry. It's an industry
on the up and up. Good afternoon.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Hey you, I'm Jamie.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Well I'm not bad, probably not as good as you,
because you have got record returns per hec there across
literally all categories. You've got a crop of what two
hundred and fifteen million trays you're going to sell and
that's a record crop this season. You're even looking for
more next season, two hundred and twenty million. And you
(02:40):
can find a home for all this.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Jason, Yeah, I think the results from Marshia. I mean
the positive it's a reflection of a lot of hard
work that goes in across the industry to pick, pack
and get some good quality fruit into the market. And
we're seeing very strong demand for that, particularly off the
back of some of our marketing and bread and campaigns.
(03:01):
So very positive. And then as we look into the
twenty twenty sixth season, we've just started harvest in the
last week or so. I've got the new season, so
we're into it. We're still seeing strong demand for our markets.
Very positive in terms of our outlook into the season
that we're getting into.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
And past seasons you've had some issues with fruit quality
later in the season. You're trying to bring the harvest forward.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, I mean the aim is this is a perishable product,
so we've got to make sure that we treated as such.
So we're trying to lift our sales early in the season,
trying to manage good quality fruit through the supply chain,
giving our consumers the best possible experience as well to
support the brand. So that is an ongoing focus that
we continue to have.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Good old staple Zespbury Green and I thought it was
going to be yesterday's key recruit a year or two ago,
but it's battling back. You're now forecasting a record return
of ten dollars a tray for the green.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Seen really good demand for green around the world, and ultimately,
you remember, we got our EU health claim signed off
last year, fifteen years in the works and we got
the first fresh fruit signed off for EU health claim.
So we've seen demand actually lift again on the back
of that. You know, people recognizing the digestive health benefits
(04:21):
of green kiwi fruit, so it's quite exciting for green
and recognizing some positive results.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Well, I see a news talk said bes resident health
freak of the Husk, Mike Hosking. He eats green rather
than gold because of the health benefits.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Yeah, we'd always recommend to have gold and green and
also mixing some ruby read as well when you've got it.
So you know, obviously gold will fighter the and see
green's great for health benefits of your digestive health, and
then ruby red is just a great tasting product.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
So yeah, yeah, yeah, but gold tastes better than green.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Well, it depends who you ask, yes, clearly if you
are Hosking, or if you ask others. You know, particularly
throughout our European markets and some of our Japanese markets.
They actually like the taste of green more than gold,
but we still see pretty strong demand on gold as
well with that sweeter taste.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
I like green gold, if that makes sense. You know,
the hard for it, it's not, it's not it's not
too soft and sweet. Hey, there's also a sizeable premium
for organic not only green but also gold.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yees. Yeah, we're seeing strong growth and organics, particularly let
out of the US market for US, but also Europe
and Japan still remain quite strong for US. So yeah,
we are definitely seeing consumers valuing the organic proposition. We're
continuing to see more demand for more fruit in organics
as well. So it's so positive there here.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
And yet the returns per heck there, well, there's not much.
There's not much difference in returns per heck there. Obviously,
it just costs a lot more to produce organic products.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
It's more around production yield, Jamie. So you have a
lower yield coming off orchard with an organic orchard, So
therefore you're asking for a bit more value from the
consumer to be able to top that up.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
You're doing a sales trip to Europe anytime soon. Is
it true that you refuse to go business class? I said,
I wouldn't mention this, but when you're as tall as
you are, Jason, you're like six foot six, I can't
believe you don't go up the front end of the plane.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
I've just come back from Europe two weeks ago or yeah,
so I've had a couple of weeks in Europe. Still
positive up there, but you're still still sitting in the
same place on the plane, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Yeah, well that's premium economy. It's not cattle classes.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
It it's premium economy. They look after you there.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yeah, well you're I wish all executives. I got Myles
Hurrel on the show tomorrow, Jason. They tell me he's
got his own seat on the New Zealand to London
or New Zealand to LA flight. So there you go,
and his ain't in premium. I can tell you that.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
I don't judge others in terms of where they want
to set but look, I mean all of Espury are
flying in the same same Kevin. Now, so we're focused
on actually maximizing and getting efficiency for the value that
we see. Number half of our rollers to do our business.
So yes, just a blanket rules.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Jeez, you're a good boss. There you go. Well, some
would view you as a good boss. Those who used
to sit up the front probably don't. Hey, Jason to break.
Congratulations running a very good ship there at Zesbury. Oopsy gone?
Has he right?
Speaker 4 (07:34):
Thanks?
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Okay, Jason, see you later. Oh yeah, man, oh man
squeezed what it's not squeezed into premium economy. Leading by example,
Jason to break. The chief executive of Zespury. See, that's
an organization that's got its house and order. I guess
she could say the same of Fonterra these days. We'll
have Miles Hurrell on the show tomorrow. I'm going to
(07:57):
ask him if he's going to lift the price of
milk because to the Fonterra Farmer shareholders voted ninety nine
percent in support of the two dollars capital return. No
surprise there at all. Up next and well, I'm sure
he'll have some surprises for us. He always does. The
Prince of the Province's My Tour a Shane Jones.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
The shah.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
One one who rhyme words never come. He is the
self proclaimed Prince of the Province's Martua, Shane Jones, let's
talk about mining wild dogs are Northland and mad Dog
Peters who won't support the Indian FTA. Shane Jones, where
do you want to start?
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Well born and bred in the north Sadly we do
have dangerous homicidal dogs. But I'll tell you what's really
feral is the personality, the character and the mindset of
these losers who own these dogs. Often they're covered a tattoos,
wandering around regarding these dogs as trophies. When dad brought
us up and awa nui, as you know, born bred
(09:07):
on a farm, dog went bad, went down the road.
Speaker 6 (09:09):
Shot at problem, taking care of them.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Well, that's what we need to do. But I can't
say on radio we need to shoot the owners. But
they certainly have to face consequences. And I see instant
mad Dog Peters himself as saying, maybe the owners in
the case of these tragic fatalities need to face manslaughter charges.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
Well, they are so riddled with drugs and all sorts
of other social problems they have no conception of the
seriousness of what they've done. So the sooner they're removed
from society the better. The sooner that we have the
ability for these dog rangers to immediately confiscate dogs and
(09:53):
basically summarily execute them because they have no real use
to man or man or woman, or the community. They've
come into New Zealand, have been bred. They're dangerous, they
don't belong in our New Zealand culture.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
Look, there's been some.
Speaker 5 (10:07):
Suggestion via a lady a bet. I don't know where
I sought that we should dissect the dogs. We're not
at a New Zealand fairs. We're not into transgender pets.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Just shoot them.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
I'm with you on that one. Now, the government's ring
fencing eighty million dollars in the Regional Infrastructure Fund to
support the extraction and processing of minerals rare earth minerals. Now,
is this kind of the provincial growth fund and drag?
Speaker 5 (10:33):
You're talking about those Healthyon days before Justinda lost the
plot and destroyed the economy and fled as a political
refugee to Harvard University, my old place of learning. You're
talking about twenty seventeen.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Yeah, yeah, but you were going to plant New Zealand
and pine trees. You were going to plant a billion
of them.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
No, we had the credo, right tree, right place, focused
on a few native plantings and working with some of
the big forestry companies.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
That is so in the past.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
We're going to focus on the future, and.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
The future is digging it up and damming it up.
How are you getting on, by the way, with your
debate over the gold mine in Central Otago with Saren Taylor.
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Well, I want the God of the South or the
voice of the South, other than your good self to
be the MC. I'm waiting my office to learn more
about the details of the location, the timing.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
There was a suggestion that.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
We have a debate without an audience. Well, look, everything
in my life is never Clayton's. Okay, I'm gladly going
to have the debate in the South Island. I suggested
they have it in Terras and then I've got no
compunction whatsoever with debating with anyone down there. But we
are not having a debate where there's no audience. That
suggests to me that although an event is being planned,
(11:51):
they want to kind of transmit it via technology to
the rest of the world. Bar this is something where
the local people have to have an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Jamie, I know you love an audience. Minds you Saren
Taylor's a former television presenter. He's fraid of performing in
front of an audience either. I are white with bated
breath to see this debate. I just want to finish
on the Indian FTA. When are you and Winston going
to pull your heads on?
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Look, I just had a meeting with a bunch of
chaps in the Minister's office Minister Todd to do with forestry.
Winston and I are not luddites. We realize that people
are already trading over there in that part of the
world for forestry, et cetera. But the deal did not
cover off agriculture, and the deal sadly does not leave
(12:36):
enough protections or safeguards in respect of immigration. We are
going to continue to remind Kiwis that unfettered immigration is
going to faithfully change the trajectory and the character of
our nation.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
And we're not having it.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
And people are not campaigning.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
On no, no, you're just being racist. Well, Shane, some
of these Indians who might be migrants here will do
the work that some of the drug Northlanders won't do.
And I'm not just picking on Northland there. You talk
about getting the nefts off the couch.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
I think that there's a case for ensuring that we
have migrants that we need, not ones that need us.
Dour Stephen Joyce opened up sadly the door a barn door,
and all sorts of undesirables floated in under the rubric
of our international education. So we can't unwind that. But no,
there will not be unfettered immigration from India. There will
(13:29):
only be migrants that add to the value of our country.
We are not going to be a dumping ground for
people trying to come to New Zealand and set up
New Delhi when New Zealand, that's just never going to happen.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, but they do the work. It's like the Shane,
It's like the Filipino community. If we didn't have them,
there wouldn't be a cow milkt in Southland. Well, we're
a Catholic church remaining.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
I've got a great deal of affection for the community
of the Filipinos that are sustaining the Catholic community working,
and they are the people that the country needs. But
we don't need any more uber drivers.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Well that's very racist.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
Mate, just because I said that. The people that are
plundering all the rock palls around Auckland happen to be
from the migrant community, and in a playful way, I
use the term the orient express. Doesn't mean that I'm
a racist. This shows that I'm an earthy, humorous, but
red blooded, tough New Zealand first politician and.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
A very modest man to boot Shane Jones, thanks for your.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
Time, see every buddy bye said thank.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You, Shane twenty five after twelve. What do you think
the Prince of the provinces is he? Is he on
the money? Or him and Winston just good old fashioned racists.
Now some of your texts coming in. Let's have a look, Hi, Jamie.
The debate should be in Cromwell. The support is extremely
strong there for the mind to go ahead. People need
(14:52):
jobs and opportunity. And here's another one. Business class is
justified of traveling for business and you need to thinking
straight at journey's end. And you're dead right if you're
going all the way to Europe and you've got to
get off the plane and be smart and refreshed in
a meeting, very important meeting in the case of senior executives,
(15:14):
you would think, I think it's absolutely justified. You could
do a Todd maclay of course when he went over
to India to do the free trade agreement, he didn't sleep.
He went business class over there, slept, did the meetings
business class on the way home, didn't have to pay
for a hotel room. Okay, last chance, last chance saloon
(15:35):
today and I'll announce the final winner tomorrow for our
double pass to the Saturday Evening Championship event at the
Golden Shares and the World Sharing Champs happening in Masterton
fourth to the seventh of March. Someone from the committee,
can you text me on five to double O nine
and tell me if you can actually even buy evening
tickets now, I know that they're in such hot demand,
(15:58):
so just text me and give me your names so
I know your kosher and I'll let people know whether
tickets are still available for the Saturday Evening Championship event. Okay,
it's going to be all happening in Marsterden, fourth to
the seventh of March. We'll be there on the Friday
broadcasting yesterday's winner or yesterday's winner from yesterday's entry in
(16:19):
Robinson from Talpau You'll be driving down the road to Marsterden.
Good on you en final chants, so you need to
text Golden and your name and your address to five
double O nine and we'll announce our final winner tomorrow
for the Saturday Evening Championship event. Up next our UK correspondent,
(16:41):
Farmer Tom Martin.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
So she's a friend line.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
All over the planet today on the country hopefully, Chris
Russell Air, Australian correspondent. But let's head to the UK.
A bleak winter for British farmers. The sun hasn't shone
in some places since the beginning of January. Farmer Tom Martin,
how's it been at your place?
Speaker 6 (17:15):
Oh?
Speaker 7 (17:15):
Well, the sun always shines when I talk to you, Jamie.
We are in the East where we get a little
bit less rain, and we have seen the sun. But
it's been pretty wet and miserable, and the guys down
in the Southwest of particular and up in the northwest
are pretty wet, fed up and miserable. But it is winter.
It is Britain. We do expect a bit of wet weather.
(17:37):
So whilst it's made you know, a couple of headlines,
it's not something that's bothering us too much. Looking forward
to a bit of spring, certainly warming up a little
bit after the next couple of days.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Well, I'm pleased to hear that Sakia Starmer is actually
causing you more problems, you, British farmers, more problems than
the weather.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
Yes, it's been a bleak winter for Sakre. It's been
a bit winter for us all, to be honest and just,
and just a heck of a lot going on. I mean,
we could talk about inheritance tax issues with farming. It's
it's something that you and I talk about a huge amount,
and it's front of mind within within UK agriculture, but
there's dozens of other things which are affecting us as farmers,
(18:20):
affecting us, affecting non farmers as well. So it feels
like a pretty bleak time even when the sunshine at
the moment.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Well, you're doing something about it. You're not only talking
the talk, You're going to walk the walk. You're headed
to court to take on the government over lack of
consultation around this most dreaded and hated inheritance takes.
Speaker 7 (18:43):
Yeah. I mean, I don't believe anyone's here to make
up the numbers. We're here to make a difference. And
the way I'm making a difference is I am. I'm
the lead applicant in a in a judicial review. It's
a two day case, pretty intense case where we are
making the claim that government didn't consult appropriately before it
brought in inheritance tax legislation. If we win, that will
(19:06):
force the government to consult more appropriately. Now they may
come to the same conclusion. Of course, I really hope
they do, but we are The case is they did
not consult appropriately enough, and I do think if they
had consulted oppublic they would have come to a different conclusion.
So it's going to be in the High Court, High
Court down in London. So I should put my suit
(19:29):
on for two days, right in the middle of spring
planting and go there and see what we can do.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Well, we'll talk about spring planting in a moment, but
as a Kia starmer under threat to lose his job,
you've got all this controversy around. Lord, is it Mendelssohn,
The bloke is standing around in his jockey underpants, Madison.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
Yeah, that was a moment when we thought Starma was
actually going but he managed to escape that one. Look,
you know, without getting too I'm not sure we've got
anyone better to replace him. At the moment and the
turbulence perhaps of him going would be worse, you know,
than than than than him staying. So it's a bit
(20:12):
of a it's a bit of a challenge. We're not
enjoying things under a government that I think as a nation,
eighteen months ago we were thinking, well, you know, maybe
it's time for a change. Uh, you know, we were
looking with optimism for a new a new government, and
our hopes have been have been dashed. It doesn't matter
what's sect here in So there've been been some huge challenges,
(20:35):
certainly certainly with him farming. Although we met our local
MP last night, so that was Tuesday night, UK time.
You know, you always get some warm words. But I
think I think that I think he understands the message
that he needs to understand farming better. And that's that's
one thing we've got through in the last few days
and weeks and that's a positive to start with.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Else he correspondent Chris Russell is going to talk to
us about grain price as having in the past four
years in Australia, arable farmers are having a really tough
time of it here in New Zealand, Tom, I take
it it's pretty much disso in.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
The UK, the outlooks pretty bleak, you know, varying across
the sectors, but within within cereals, within arable farming, Yeah,
pretty bleak. And perhaps you're the same in New Zealand
as we are in the UK. If we just didn't
produce anything for an entire year, I don't think the
world would really notice. I mean, I can't see the
(21:31):
world markets being rocks. And so when we have a
really good harvest or when we have an absolutely terrible
harvesters we've just had. World prices are affected by world
events and not by the UK events. So you know,
we've got low prices and we've had some low production,
a bit of a double ammy. And with everything else
going on, there's a lot of farmers effected financially and
(21:53):
emotionally mentally as well.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Yeah. Yeah, a dairy farmers and red meat farmers are
doing particularly well at the moment. And I know that
it's a tougher gig farming in the UK, but how
are your livestock farmers going. They've got to be doing
better than the arable farmers.
Speaker 7 (22:08):
Upholn down corn. Yeah, it's a much better situation in
those sectors, not without their issues. You know, we're we're
we're hearing recently that we only and we look up
to you guys only we only catch two percent of
the illegal meat coming into the UK. So you can
imagine the issues with swine flu, with various other diseases
(22:31):
coming into us in an island and so you know, big,
big concerns there. And of course we had a very
dry summer, so forage is it a bit of a premium,
but certainly the meat sectors and dairy doing doing doing
a bit better than while doing considerably better than we
are in the arable side of things.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Hey farmer Tom Martin, thanks for your Tom on the Country.
We've run out of time to talk about Andrew mount
Betten Wins are the artists formerly known as Prince Andrew.
We might chat about him next month. Great to catch
you on the country.
Speaker 6 (23:00):
Thank goodness for that.
Speaker 7 (23:01):
I look forward to the next moneth because.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Head on your Tom, thank you for your time. Twenty
five away from one. Just got a text from a
reliable source and wire wrapper who says he was told
last week by the present the Secretary for the Golden
Shares and World Sharing CHEMPS that all tickets for all
sessions had sold out. I'll confirm or deny that one
on tomorrow's show. So this could absolutely be your last chance.
(23:24):
It will be your last chance to get along to
the Saturday Evening Championship event. We're going to sort out
the winner of the Golden Shares and the wall Handling
and the sharing plus the world chaps. So you need
to text Golden and your name and address to five
double nine. Up next Jane Ferguson and for Michelle Watt
for Rural News. We'll have look at Sports news for
you as well.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
I got tho your swee.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Don't you join the Queen of Diamond twenty two away
from one? You're with the Country. Jane Ferguson's in here
with news. She's trying to get her hands on my
Grant McCallum branded mobile phone screen cleaner. Mits off Ferguson.
He's Jane with Rural News.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
The Country's world news with Cob Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower brand. Visit steel Ford dot Co
dot z for your local stockers.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Don you just need to be nice to mcnational the
three thousand of them apparently, so you might better get
one I was.
Speaker 8 (24:25):
Under the impression that it was like just a piece
of material, but this is actually quite substantial and a
little bit fatter, I.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Say, say that or to ruin the story. What's on
Rural Now Okay?
Speaker 8 (24:33):
In Rural News, Walls of New Zealand LP says the
strong wall sector is continuing to turn a corner, with
farm gate prices rising and the company posting its second
consecutive annual profit. Chair Richard Young says demand for strong
wallers now outstripping supply in several categories, helping auction prices
left by about thirty two percent over the past eighteen months.
(24:54):
WNZLP reported a profit of one hundred and one hundred
and sixty seven thousand dollars for them twenty twenty five
financial years, slightly up on last year, with revenue rising
to twenty nine point one million. Young says the result
shows that business is now on a more sustainable footing
after years of disruption in the industry.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Yes, go wooll go wool. There's Jane ferguson Worth. Rural
News has sport.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
Sports on the country with AFCO one hundre se KEI.
We owned and trusted it. That's rare.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
The New Zealand And sale GP team have no idea
when their munted boat will be back on the water.
Co chief executive BLEACHUK says their initial thoughts are solely
on the well being of their team and a return
to racing isn't top of mind. Premier League leaders Arsenal
have blown a two goal lead to draw two all
against bottom placed Wolves Away and birdies are proving hard
(25:46):
to come by. Sounds like my golf. Birdies are proving
hard to come by in the opening phase of the
New Zealand PGA Championship at Paraparamu. Currently only seven of
the seventy golfers who have teed off are under par.
That's sport for you up there, Peter Newbolt, how much
is your farm worth monthly? Here on the country, we
(26:07):
tell you what your farm's worth with this bloke, Peter Newbolt,
GM of PGG rights in real estate is also the
GM of the livestock division as well. But let's concentrate
on the value of farms, Peter. We'll start with dairy.
Surprise Surprise, Fonterra farmers have voted ninety nine percent in
support of the two dollars capital return with prices improving
(26:30):
land values up and four hundred thousand dollars for your
average dairy farmer. That sector is pretty buoyant at the moment.
Speaker 3 (26:38):
Oh yeah, definitely, it's buoyant. And I think the interesting
thing we're seeing is that there's more demand out there
than what we can supply, which is really interesting. And
I think what people are doing, they're looking out and
are seeing an industry which has a bright outlook if
you look over the next two of the three years.
(27:00):
So yeah, it's a real challenge at the moment. And
then of course you've got a lot of existing daring
farmers who are sitting back saying, well, why aren't I
maximize the returns at the moment which look good over
the next couple of years. So a whole lot of
things have come into play, and yeah, we've got a
shortage of good dairy properties.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Dairy farmers in demand. What about sheep and beef, because
sheep and beef are getting record returns for red meat.
But we've also got a kind of factor that against
the fact that in recent times sheep and beef properties
have perhaps been inflated in value by the carbon farming story.
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Yeah, well they have. There's probably a couple of things
going on here. One is, you know, the shed and
beef farmer has had it tough if you look back
over the last few years, and they're coming into a
period where it looks really healthy for the next two
or three years. So a lot of them are banking
those good values they're getting at the moment. So that's
probably just started to put a bit more I guess
(28:02):
interest in that whole sheet and beef. But one of
the areas that we're found is interesting is if you
look what was happening, how forestry et cetera was underpinning
the values of sheet and beef properties, and so what's
happening now. There's a number of I guess farmers out
there who are struggling to get their head round the
(28:23):
actual value of their property, because of course they've dropped.
But if you add in the value of stock at
the moment, then actually the proposition is really strong, and
I think a number of them once they suddenly do
the numbers on that, they'll realize that, you know, the
value is fairly similar to what they could have been
achieving if they put their properties on the market during
(28:43):
that forestry boom.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
As Esbury came out yesterday with record returns on a
per hectare basis for keyw fruit growers. I know we
haven't quite hit the healthy in days of two million
dollars per canopy heck there for a key We fruit orchard,
but they're getting up there again.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah, well it's really interesting. You know, we saw one
recently which was one point eight and you know we
haven't seen those sort of values. You'd have to go
back to you know, twenty two for that. And I
think the other thing is you and I have often
talked it's been a long time coming, but we're now
just starting to see orchards come on the market and
(29:23):
we're starting to see some activity in that space. So look,
I think it's really good. And the other thing too
is if you look at Zespree in the market and
what they're doing there, again, it's like dairy, it looks
really healthy when you look out over the next few years.
So again there's another industry which I think is performing
really well. And then if you add them all up,
(29:45):
I don't think we've seen it where sheet and beef,
barry and Kiwi fruit are in such good space and
such a good space.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Rather, yes, the planets are aligning for farming. Just on
that subject, Peter, and you bought I know, maybe you
put on your livestock hat here you were down Southern
Field days such positivity. I was only down there for
one day, but it was oozing out of the place.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Oh look, I've never seen anything like it. I thought
it was one of the best events I've been to.
And everyone had a smile and there was enthusiasm and
it was just wonderful to be there.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
Peter Newbold, wonderful to have you on the show. We'll
catch you again next month. Onwards and upwards.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Thanks, Jeremine, have a good day.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
His name is Chris Russell. He's our Australian correspondent. Chris,
like on our side of the Tasman Wall, prices on
your side are at the highest level for seven years.
Speaker 6 (30:42):
Yes, absolutely, and I think this is more about a
reduction in supply than anything else. But China has now
increased their market share of our wall to eighty eight
point four percent, so that's pretty much all of it.
We've taken the wall actions for the first time, actually
caking a complete break until February twenty fourth because of
(31:04):
the Chinese New Year. Because there are no other bios there,
so while would you bother having the wool action running?
And so we saw a sixteen cent improvement just this
week to now sixteen ninety three cents per kilo for
twenty one micron wall, which is what I always use
on the show. And so all in all in all,
(31:26):
everyone is saying, well, you know, there's at least some
money in that. I think there are a number of
factors that play Jamie. I think number one. Obviously, the
flock is at its lowest little down about sixty three
million head, and when I think of when I was
at university in the seventies, it was running at about
one hundred and seventy million head, so that's a big factor.
But also we've made some good breakthroughs on using short
(31:48):
stayle wool, on mixing wool with cotton. I've talked about
that before to you, and I think the number of
things are coming together. And my own prediction, possibly against
the trend, is that man made five again more and
more on the nose with people. People don't want all
these plastics everywhere. Man made fibers are definitely the way forward,
(32:09):
and cotton and wool I think will continue to go. Well,
whether we have enough or whether the horse has bolted
in terms of getting below a critical threshold level for
mills building and hold of the wall, that's going to
be the big question, because if they can't get the wall, well,
they'll just make the change anyway.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Well, they sheep farmers are doing well along over due.
Poor old grain farmers on the side are having a battle,
and I know they are on your side. Your grain
prices have.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
Halved, yes, well, again that's the opposite problem. We've got
way too much grain being produced, about an eighty million
ton surplace globally, so the grain price have taken a hit.
We're looking if you look at the overall global price,
which is meant which is actually measured in US sense
(32:57):
per bushel of grain, it's gone from around fourteen hundred
US since per bushell four years ago to today just
under six hundred cent of bushel, So that's a massive
drop in the global price. Now, of course people say, well,
there's more money in having grain. We've had a record
crop this year, so they're still producing grain, still selling it.
(33:20):
But nonetheless the prices are not very exciting. And it's
just as well as some of the techniques and the
rain and better machinery and so on, have a mobile
and to keep their margins up and they can still
make money out of that. Jamie.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Goat meat production and exports record highs. Have you, Chris Russell,
ever partaken of goat meat? Have you tried it? What's
it like?
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Oh? I had it just on Monday night. I had
a made up from Victoria and we went and had
Indian food. We had goat meat Marsala. And you might
remember last year when I al might have been the
year before last, when I was on a caravan try
in Western Australia. We went and saw the goat Queen
who not only raises goats, but she produces really made
(34:04):
meals from her kitchen near Geraldton and ships them all
over Australia. Goat meat, of course, is eaten in more
countries than any other type of red meat in the world,
so globally it's the number one meat. Not so much
in our diets here in Australia and New Zealand because
we're spoilt with lamb and beef, but it's really the
export levels are really going up. We're talking about six
(34:27):
dollars a kilo now, they're getting for goats, and we're
still not talking massive tommage when you think we ship
about one hundred and sixty thousand tons a month of
beef to America and we ship fifty four thousand tons
a year of goat meat. But nonetheless it's up fifty
percent the export value year on year, forty seven percent
(34:48):
in production, and the goat farmers up in Queensland, you know,
are doing quite well, and they're getting more and more restrictions.
They now have to put electronic IDs in their ears,
which has cost two or three dollars ahead. So that's
causing some grief from a margin point of view, but
it's they're like the magic pudding up there. You know,
as fast as you take them the next year, you
(35:10):
can't see where you've been. Once upon a time, there
were something you harvested. When you wanted a new car
and new fridge, you went out and just harvested a
couple of thousand goats. Told them that someone got the
money and went and bought your new car. Now they
are a primary business for a lot of those Queensland
farmers in particular, and they really come on because there's
such a demand for seas we've got new Avatwin. It's
(35:31):
being built, new exports being sent out of Australia and
I think that will continue to throw.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
At the moment, Jamie, Chris, I'm out of time. Haven't
got time to talk about your wonderful campaign at the
T twenty World Cup cricket. What a shame the oss
is going out early and things of that. Desperate across
the Tasman that a Bob's leader who finishes last is
now your most popular sports person, Daisy Johnson.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
That's weirdness. You's got more followers than Russell Crowe.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Oh well you can have Russell anyhow, I've got to go.
We'll catch you next week mate. There Ela, Thanks Chris.
Actually it was a bit harsh on Russell crow here
is excellent in the movie Nuremberg. It'll be you a
better buy it online. It'll be streaming online somewhere now.
It's well worth a lock. Hey, we'll catch you again tomorrow.
We'll have Miles Hurrl on the show. Is he going
(36:23):
to lift the price of milk? Tomorrow? And wap to
wait and see.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Aisuzu get demo deals
on the tough Dmax today
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