In his first written communication to Miraka suppliers, the Mokai-based company’s new chief executive officer Mark de Lautour has confirmed a final base milk price for the 2024/25 season as $10.16 per kilogram of milk solids (/ kgMS).
The final $0.41 / kgMS payment will be made in the October payment, his announcement said.
A good start to the milking season across the Waikato and Central North Island regions had seen plenty of milk flowing into the Mōkai site, said de Lautour.
While acknowledging it had been a difficult and turbulent period for Miraka, de Lautour said Open Country Dairy’s purchase of the company at the beginning of September had been followed with investment and support for the recent advance payment.
“On top of our base milk price, we will also pay an average of $0.17 / kgMS in Te Ara Miraka payments in October. This takes the Miraka total milk price for the 2024/25 season to $10.33 / kgMS.”
Te Ara Miraka payments are a chance for the company’s suppliers to earn up to 20 cents per kgMS in additional premium payments through a farming excellence programme which rewards on-farm excellence in areas such as milk quality, animal welfare, staff development and sustainability.
In late May Miraka had announced an opening 2025/26 season farmgate milk price forecast of $8.85–$10.85 / kgMS, with a midpoint of $9.85 per kgMS.
The purchase of Miraka by Open Country Dairy on September 11 happened quickly and without much advance notice.
At the time Miraka board chair Bruce Scott said the company had a lot to be proud of over the previous 15 years.
“However, there are significant challenges that come with being a standalone regional processor operating in a global market. Under Open Country Dairy’s ownership, our Miraka whānau will be part of a strong New Zealand-owned network serving the global dairy market.”
Miraka is supplied by around 100 farms close to its Mōkai factory.
Shareholders included Māori landowners who have owned their lands for generations (Tūaropaki Trust, Wairarapa Moana Trust, Hauhungaroa Partnership, Waipapa 9, and Tauhara Moana Trust) as well as strategic cornerstone partner Vinamilk, a leading Vietnamese dairy producer.
De Lautour’s announcement said a supplier meeting was planned for this month, to provide an update on markets and more information on what Open Country Dairy was working on across its sites nationwide.
“As we start to properly understand the challenges faced by Miraka, we are formulating options to ensure the Mōkai site thrives into the future,” de Lautour said.
