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Andy Whitson | 027 626 2269 Sales & Marketing Manager andy.whitson@agrihq.co.nz

Steve McLaren | 027 205 1456 Auckland/Northland Partnership Manager steve.mclaren@agrihq.co.nz

Jody Anderson | 027 474 6094 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Partnership Manager jody.anderson@agrihq.co.nz

Donna Hirst | 027 474 6095 Lower North Island/International Partnership Manager donna.hirst@agrihq.co.nz

Omid Rafyee | 027 474 6091 South Island Partnership Manager omid.rafyee@agrihq.co.nz

Debbie Brown | 06 323 0765 Marketplace Partnership Manager classifieds@agrihq.co.nz

Grant Marshall | 027 887 5568 Real Estate Partnership Manager realestate@agrihq.co.nz

Andrea Mansfield | 027 602 4925 National Livestock Manager livestock@agrihq.co.nz

Publishers

Dean and Cushla Williamson

Phone: 0800 85 25 80 dean.williamson@agrihq.co.nz cushla.williamson@agrihq.co.nz

Farmers Weekly is Published by AgriHQ PO Box 529, Feilding 4740, New Zealand Phone: 0800 85 25 80 Website: www.farmersweekly.co.nz

ISSN 2463-6002 (Print) ISSN 2463-6010 (Online)

News in brief Top apple crop

The New Zealand apple industry says fruit quality and size are good as it heads into the export harvest season. New Zealand Apples & Pears Incorporated chief executive Terry Meikle said export volumes will be similar to last year’s 20.4 million tray carton equivalents. There are still challenges, Meikle said, but the NZ apple industry is reaping the rewards of decades of investment and the commitment of its growers.

California-based precision irrigation company Tule has been acquired by CropX as the company expands its data-capturing technology to incorporate Tule’s dripirrigated expertise.

The Tule purchase marks a continuing acquisition phase by CropX, which bought CropMetrics in Nebraska in 2019, NZ effluent management company Regen in 2020, and Netherlands-based Dacon Farm Intelligence in later 2021.

Company expansion Attempt falls short

Amy Silcock fell short in her attempt on the women’s eight-hour strongwool ewe world record.

The Tiraumea shearer, competing near Pahiatua, needed an average of almost 93 sheep in each of the four two-hour runs to beat the record of 370 set in the United Kingdom last August.

She was consistently behind the target and finished with 348 for the day.

Deficit doubles

New Zealand’s trade deficit doubled in calendar 2022 as price inflation came into play, says Stats NZ. The annual trade deficit was $14.5 billion in 2022 versus a deficit of $7.1b in 2021. Exports lifted 14% to $72.2b while imports jumped 23% to $86.7b. The largest increase in exports for the year ended December 2022 was of milk powder, butter, and cheese.