Some growers began harvesting ZESPRI® GOLD Kiwifruit today, while ZESPRI® GREEN Kiwifruit and ZESPRI® GREEN ORGANIC Kiwifruit growers will begin harvesting their fruit in a few weeks time.

Confidence is high from growers and ZESPRI grower, Doug Brown, who grows both GREEN and GOLD Kiwifruit, said that overall, the coming season looks very positive.

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The seasonally adjusted PMI was at 53.3 in February, up 1.2 points from January. A reading above 50 indicates manufacturing is generally expanding.

New orders were constant at 56.1, production up 1.2 points to 53.4, employment up 1.8 points to 51.8, finished stocks expanding for the first time since December 2008 on 50.3, and deliveries up from January at 52.9.

“After six months of solid, if not spectacular expansion, we have now reached a phase where monthly results are consistent, and new orders continue to drive activity…

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Internet entrepreneur Rod Drury, Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall and Trade Me’s Sam Morgan are some of the names behind the venture.

Pacific Fibre has announced a plan for the $900 million project to be ready in 2013, connecting Australia, New Zealand and the US.

The initial proposal is a 13,000 kilometre long high speed cable which will deliver five times the capacity of the existing southern cross system, which is partly owned by Telecom.

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The group went public today under the name Pacific Fibre and it wants to talk to potential partners and funders. The 13,000km cable could cost just under $900 million and be ready by 2013.

Other group founders include Mark Rushworth, former Vodafone chief marketing officer, technology industry veteran John Humphrey, and entrepreneur Lance Wiggs.

The initiative was today welcomed by state-owned Kordia, which has been working on establishing ….

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The latest Bank of New Zealand/Business New Zealand Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) further nudged into positive territory in February.

The “PMI”, which is seasonally adjusted, was 53.3 – up 1.2% from January. A rating of above 50 is positive: below 50 is negative. The index is also based on an international standard and New Zealand is slightly below the global average, which stands at 55.2. However the international figure declined over the last month.

Local manufacturers reported a rise in new orders for the month, and reflects a “slow but steady improvement,” says …

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The seasonally adjusted PMI for February stood at 53.3, up 1.2 points from January, with ongoing strength in new orders.

Metal product manufacturing showed the strongest increase of 54.9 points, and employment in the sector also grew.

Business NZ’s executive director for manufacturing Catherine Beard says while New Zealand manufacturers are still making more cautious comments than positive in the survey feedback, the continued increase in new order numbers is encouraging.

She says all the diffusion indices, including employment, are now in positive territory.

“After six months …

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The hubs — called a “food innovation network” by Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee — were first proposed under the previous Labour government in 2004.

By providing the infrastructure such as laboratories and high-tech equipment that companies needed to develop new food and beverage ingredients and consumer products, the hubs could speed up development of a high-value food export industry, Mr Brownlee said.

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Statistics New Zealand says the terms of trade rose 5.7% in the three months to December because of a drop in import prices overshadowing a fall in export prices.

The terms of trade measures what a country can buy with what it produces, and the latest result reverses six consecutive quarterly declines.

UBS Investment senior economist Bank, Robin Clements says the result was stronger than expected.

Export volumes fell 1.2%, mainly as a result of falls in petroleum and dairy products, and import volumes rose 1.6% because of more capital …

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The top award, presented in Auckland yesterday, was given to Dr Jeff Tallon and Dr Bob Buckley who have put New Zealand at the forefront of the new power technology.

Through their research, the scientists have established world-leading export businesses in high-temperature superconductor products.

Their breakthrough allows for smaller, lighter, more efficient machines and more environmentally friendly technology that could give companies savings in everything from power transmission to manufacturing.

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All winners receive substantial cash awards to go with the prestige of the title.

Science New Zealand chief executive Anthony Scott said: “The Prime Minister’s Awards are a wonderful means of elevating the public recognition of science That they come from the Prime Minister acknowledges the value that science delivers to New Zealand at individual level and collectively for our society and economy.