Opinion

Supermarkets milking the limelight in latest dairy price war battle

Just as Woolworths announced in Australia this week that its third-quarter revenue had risen 2.5% largely due to increased sales of milk, its arch rival, Coles, revealed it had signed new contracts with two dairy farmer co-operatives.

Ankush at large

Drug decision could savage India-EU food free trade agreement

I don’t think that there was any more talked about corporate news in India this week than the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss Novartis’s appeal for a patent for its Gilvec cancer drug. 

Supermarket wars

Woolworths waiting for approval to cut out the dairy middle man

Should it be given the go-ahead, a new trial in New South Wales’ Manning Valley will see a supermarket dealing directly with dairy farmers for the first time ever in Australia.

Chinese dairy safety concerns 'adversely affected' 2012 results - Mengniu

Chinese dairy giant Mengniu has reported a drop in both revenue and profits for 2012 – a result it has attributed to continuing consumer concern about the quality and safety of domestically-manufactured dairy products.

Swiss infant formula recalled in Shanghai over repackaging claims

Swiss infant formula manufacturer, Hero, has moved to dispel concerns about the safety of its Nutradefense brand infant formula in China after authorities in Shanghai ordered retailers to pull it from shelves.

Fonterra reports 'strong' H1 performance on back of Asia, Latam sales growth

Fonterra has reported an earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increase of more than 25% for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2013 – a result it has attributed to sales volume growth from its NZ Milk Products business, Asia, and Latin America.

Amul chief issues demands to trade minister over EU dairy negotiation

The head of India’s biggest dairy co-operative has called on the commerce minister to stand up for the country during ongoing discussions with the European Union over a proposed free-trade agreement.

Increased NZ-US dairy trade would be ‘damaging’ to US sector without reforms - farming coalition

Increasing Fonterra-dominated New Zealand’s access to the US dairy sector through on-going Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade talks would be “damaging” to producers and processors in the country, a coalition of farmer organisations has claimed.

Done deals

Kraft signs up with Australian cheese major for pan-Asia distribution

Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory (WCB) and Kraft Foods Australia have announced the start of a long-term partnership under which Kraft will produce specially formulated cream cheese under WCB's Sungold brand.  

Comment

Formula like gold dust, and shortage will only get worse

In just the first weekend of new regulations designed to prohibit the trafficking of infant formula out of Hong Kong, border patrols had already arrested around 45 traders.

Fonterra unveils NZ$100m UHT processing investment

Fonterra will invest more than NZ$100m ($82.4m, €62.8m) in a new ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and cream processing plant in New Zealand in an attempt to meet growing Asian demand for heat-treated dairy products.

DCD concerns: NZ handling of crisis was ‘textbook’ - Rabobank

New Zealand’s handling of concerns surrounding the use of agricultural chemical dicyandiamide (DCD) was “textbook,” a Rabobank analyst has claimed.

Dairy contaminants

Fonterra DCD crisis: No positive tests since November

The Ministry for Primary Industries has released the findings from extensive testing of New Zealand dairy products for dicyandiamide (DCD).

Right to reply

Fonterra: Why we need to talk about what's in our food

Last week, we published a critique of Fonterra's actions during the DCD furore, which saw lengthy delays between identifying the presence of minute quantities of the chemical in the company's milk. Having requested a right to reply, Fonterra's CEO talks exclusively about the wider DCD debate.

Fonterra recalls CalciYum kids’ yogurt over ‘choking’ fears

Fonterra Brands Australia is pulling batches of CalciYum yogurt from supermarket shelves across Australia over concerns that the product's “weakened” plastic cap could present a choking hazard.

UAE, Dubai granted dairy export approval – camel milk processor

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dubai have been granted final approval to become the first Middle Eastern country to export dairy products into the European Union (EU), one of the region’s largest camel milk producers has revealed.

Straight talk

DCD: Fonterra must learn once is unfortunate, twice is unforgivable

It’s quite remarkable how Fonterra has evolved to become New Zealand’s biggest company given the way the dairy giant seems to struggle to take on board its errors of the past.

Baby powder shortage

Hong Kong takes strong measures as smugglers milk formula supplies

With the Chinese New Year fast approaching Hong Kong is in the midst of formula frenzy, leading authorities to devise new means to safeguard the supply of baby powder to local parents.

DCD concerns: Too early to predict NZ export fallout, says Rabobank

It is "difficult to say" if New Zealand dairy exports will suffer as a result of the on-going concerns surrounding dicyandiamide (DCD) contamination, Rabobank has claimed.

Chemical contamination

New Zealand reassures Chinese consumers in wake of Fonterra DCD crisis

New Zealand’s government has started a PR offensive to limit the impact of last week’s revelations that low levels of chemical residue were discovered in dairy products from the country, and Chinese consumers find themselves high on its charm list.