China’s economy expanded by 9.2 percent in 2011 from a year earlier and 8.9 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter, according to ChinaDaily.com. Forecasts are for a GDP growth around 8.5 per cent in 2012.
Apple exporters are optimistic about shipping to an Australia market open after 90 years but some early failures last year are a reality check on the rules, according to a NZ Herald report.
Beef prices rebounded 12 per cent in December, propelled by greater opportunities in the lucrative European market and a consumer shift from steak to burgers, according to www.stuff.co.nz.
Standard & Poor’s mass ratings downgrade of euro zone members today is not good news for NZ which is seen struggling to sell to the region as the NZ dollar rises.
Shippers have been told not to lose sleep over the recent, short-lived jump in spot freight rates but to focus instead on ways to mitigate the risk of a sudden capacity crunch later in the year, according to analyst Drewry Maritime Research.
China has once again condemned the United States’ unilateral sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran, saying the US is seeking to internationalize its unilateral sanctions, according to www.presstv.ir.
More than 93,000 tonnes of potatoes were exported this year, about two-thirds of them processed as frozen products and the rest as fresh produce, according to Radio NZ.
Kiwifruit Vine Health, the organisation charged with helping the industry overcome the vine killing disease Psa-V has said that “Gold 16A almost definitely does not have a future in the Psa-V environment and this cultivar will need to be eventually replaced”.
The avocado industry is expecting a record harvest this season – up about 40% cent on the previous high, according to a NZ Herald report.
American citrus growers in California are able to monitor and remotely control temperatures affecting their groves using modern software, according to FreshPlaza.com.
Maersk Line, the world’s largest container shipping line, operating in conjunction with Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad (MISC), has announced plans to relocate their Southern Star service to Port of Tauranga.
The Ports of Auckland has estimated the value of all trade and goods disrupted in this weekend’s four-day stoppage on the Auckland waterfront totals $300 million.
Marks & Spencer is to be the first retailer to sell the seedless pepper, which has been created as the result of a 15 year project with Melrow salads and seed house Syngenta, according to Fresh Plaza.com citing a Daily Mail report.
New Zealand’s dairy cow population is growing faster than the human population for the first time, according to Business Day, citing figure from the latest DairyNZ and Livestock Improvement Corporation figures.
Three shipping companies have announced increased freight rates from the Far East to Australia, according to the Shipping Gazette.
The volume of trade between Arab countries and China amounted to US$142.6 billion in the first nine months of this year, according to ArabianBusiness.com.
The relentless rise of the yen is posing a major headache for most of the ‘Made in Japan’ technology brands, making these products expensive in export markets according to GulfNews.com.
Entertainment giant Walt Disney is in the UAE to share its global food strategy of using its name and Disney characters on child-focused products that meet specific nutritional criteria, including limits on calories, fat and sugar, according to TradeArabia.com.
Local juice company Charlie’s is making an attempt to shake up the children’s drinks market, with the launch today of a new drink designed for kids, according to the NZ Herald
Norwegian authorities eased their strict protectionist policies this week when they finally lowered import tariffs to offset a sudden shortage of butter, according to NewsinEnglish.no.