'Dirty Dairying' Forces Large NZ Dairy to Sell
NEW ZEALAND - One of the highest profile dairy operators in New ZEaland is exiting the industry.
10 September 2009
1 minute read
Allan and Frank Crafar have decided to sell 8000ha of dairy and dry stock farms in the Central North Island reports The NZ Farmers Weekly.
This decision has come following the family company paying a fine of NZ$90,000 from Hamilton District Court last month. The fines were relating to dairy effluent discharge, the brothers have been described as "taking short cuts with the environment" as they have had a number of similar offences. Debt pressure is also understood to be a factor in the sale. The brothers have said they have had enough of pressure from people outside the farm gate.
The portfolio of properties consists of 16 dairy units and six dry stock farms with 20,000 dairy cows across all operations making them one of Fonterra's largest suppliers.
There have been rumours of Chinese interest in the farms, but with a number of large corporate operators in the area, interests are uncertain.
The announcment of this sale has shown that even previously successful businesses are struggling in the current economic environment.
TheCattleSite News Desk
