Agsafe Weekly Rural Report

Finance:  The NZ dollar remained steady against the US dollar and other major trading currencies.  Listen to Kerri Woodhams interview on the economy 14 April 2023 with Prof Robert MacCulloch on the state of NZ!!!

Wool:  A recent reports has again suggested that the prices might improve when they move back to wool carpets!!    

Beef, Sheep & Venison schedules: All meat schedules are steady with only minor intercompany changes for the coming week. 

Dairy Prices:  The lower farm gate estimates from Fonterra are causing considerable consternation across all farming sectors.  Deferred maintenance was undertaken earlier in the season in anticipation of a good season and this will the massive increase in interest rates has now put pressure on most farmers. 

The revamped 3-Waters is now to managed by 10 entities instead of 4, but the co-governance remains.  I simple terms the urban water infrastructure is stuffed in many of the towns and cities.  The fear part of the plan is rate increases, but in simple terms it is shifting the costs from Local Authority Rates to Nationwide taxes.  The councils just need access to funds at reasonable costs to upgrade the systems without any major structural changes.