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