Topic “In the News News” — Exporter Magazine

GEA Group has reached an agreement to acquire a New Zealand-based powder specialist as part of its ongoing strategy to expand in the emerging Asian markets and compete with rivals such as Tetra Pak, according to FoodProductionDaily.com. The total value of New Zealand’s forestry exports for the year to 31 March 2011 was NZD$4.4 billion, NZD$0.8 billion up on the previous year, due to the sustained high levels of log exports over the year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). China plans to expand its installed generation capacity of biomass power to 13 million kilowatts by the end of 2015, according to ChinaDaily.com. Air-Asia will buy an extra 100 Airbus A320neo jets (a more fuel efficient jet), taking its record-breaking order to 300 planes, according to a report in GulfNews. Quick on the heels of Google’s launch of its latest social-networking venture, Facebook said today that its 750 million users will now be able to make video calls on the site, according to NZ Herald’s online report. Seven New Zealand entrepreneurial wool projects will benefit from a funding boost of more than half a million dollars, Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) announced today.