27 MAY 2015

New Zealand Faces Loss of Control of Dairying to Foreign Business

New Zealand faces loss of control of dairying to foreign business, says New Zealand First.

“Foreigners are gaining control from the grass to the export product,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Foreign ownership of farms is ticked off on 100 per cent of applications. Foreigners are taking over or building their own processing plants. Foreigners are getting a direct hand up.

“No other country in the world does this. It’s madness.

“For example, in Waikato Hong Kong company He Run International will build a processing plant. This is the third Chinese-owned operation to set up in Waikato in three years.

“In Canterbury Shanghai Pengxin bought 13 Synlait farms. The Synlait Milk processing plant has Chinese-controlled ownership.

“There is advantage for foreigners written into our anti-monopoly laws around Fonterra, which means Fonterra is obligated to supply milk to these plants.

“Another advantage is that foreign companies understand the value of ‘Made in New Zealand’, especially in food production, and will successfully trade on this.

“It was the back-breaking work of Kiwi farmers who broke in the land and built up this tradeable value. Why are we letting foreigners walk in and take over our premium product?”

ENDS

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