GrownUps ColumnistsOpinion – Business, Science and Innovation: Chasing value-add
New Zealand is efficient and world leading at producing primary commodities like milk, fruit, timber, fish and so on.By and large we have developed those industries so we are producing at the top quality end of the quality spectrum. This maximises price and gives us some protection when there is oversupply. But there is very limited value-add associated with commodity production –yes there is a premium for quality but it is limited in size and may be limited in duration. One bad season and the advantage is gone. Commodity prices are also subject to uncontrollable variation.
