18th June 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

Dairy exports a key driver as economy grow point-eight percent Zespri opens 2026/27 season with positive returns forecast Wool education pilot hailed a success across six secondary schools Rural News is in partnership with Farmlands as part of CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp - our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch / listen.   Dairy exports a key driver as economy grow point-eight percent New Zealand's economy grew point-eight percent in the March quarter, with dairy exports among the key contributors to a broadly positive result. Stats NZ figures show nine of sixteen industries recorded growth, with manufacturing up one-point-nine percent — led by food and beverage manufacturing up one-point-seven percent. Export volumes rose three-point-one percent overall, with dairy products the standout, up four-point-seven percent, alongside strong gains in other food and beverage exports. Annual GDP growth also came in at point-eight percent, with GDP per capita up point-five percent for the quarter. Business investment increased, with spending on plant, machinery and equipment up five-point-five percent — a positive signal for farm and agri-business investment. Construction fell one percent, with both residential and non-residential building down. The March quarter figures largely predate the Strait of Hormuz disruption flowing through the broader economy.   Zespri opens 2026/27 season with positive returns forecast Kiwifruit growers are looking at another strong season, with Zespri's June forecast showing per-tray returns broadly in line with last year's record results across all categories. SunGold is forecast at eleven to twelve-dollars-twenty-five per tray, Zespri Green is forecast at nine-dollars-forty to ten-dollars-forty per tray and RubyRed continues to command a premium, forecast at sixteen-dollars-twenty-five to seventeen-dollars-twenty-five per tray. CEO Jason Te Brake says demand has started strongly, particularly in Europe and North America, with steady performance in Japan and Korea. China remains a watch point, with intense pricing pressure in the premium fruit category. Freight costs have increased due to the Middle East conflict, though Te Brake says the shipping programme is continuing to run to plan. Zespri's corporate net profit after tax is forecast between three-hundred-and-fifty-five and three-hundred-and-sixty-five million dollars — up from two-hundred-and-eighty million last year.   Wool education pilot hailed a success across six secondary schools A pilot programme bringing wool into secondary school classrooms has been hailed a success, with hopes of a national rollout to come. Six secondary schools trialled the Campaign for Wool New Zealand programme with Year Nine and Ten students in the final term of 2025, covering art, science and English. The pilot fills a gap in what is now a cradle-to-career wool education pathway. Campaign for Wool NZ chair Ryan Cosgrove says the students of today will be the consumers, designers, architects and policymakers of tomorrow — and reaching them now reduces the risk of wool being overlooked in future purchase decisions and innovation.   WANT TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW LIVE (11am-1pm NZST) ON THE GO? Download CountryWide Connect mobile app to stream the show via Apple Car Play or Android Auto. Or try the voice command ‘Play CountryWide Connect’ on Amazon Alexa or Google Home.   Apple: https://apps.apple.com/nz/app/countrywide-connect/id6761033881 Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nz.co.countrywide&hl=en_NZSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.