Hort's multi-million dollar fix
No surprises, the Hawke's Bay horticulture sector needs a huge injection of additional cash - at least $410 million - if it's to recover from where it was before Cyclone Gabrielle struck in 2023.
For many farmers in cyclone ravaged Hawke's Bay things are starting to come right, according to AgFirst farm consultant Lochie MacGillivray.
However, he says the state of farms in the region varies a lot. MacGillivray knows of a farmer whose fences and tracks were badly damaged and it has taken him six months to get things right. But he says for others it will take years and they are in for some tough times.
"We have got this double whammy with lower export prices coming through on top of high interest rates and for some that's going to cause problems on how they manage though," he told Rural News. "Some of the areas inland around Wairoa, that's where it will be hardest to work through."
MacGillivray says there are a lot of twinning ewes around and lamb survivability has been high. He adds that the ewes are looking good and milking well. While there has been talk of a drought, MacGillivray says in the past few weeks, farmers have had a bit of a reprieve with some rain, which has seen soil moisture levels high.
He believes the real test will come in January and February to see if the drying winds arrive and bring with it a drought.
For some farmers in Hawke's Bay, limited road access remains a problem. MacGillivray says some farmers in areas west of Hastings, around the settlement of Kereru, are still experiencing problems.
"They can't use the Kereru road and they have got to go up the Salisbury road, which is metal and it's difficult at the moment," he explains. "It takes a long time to get the kids to school and the school is struggling to have its fundraising events because it's only got half its students."
MacGillivray adds that not having good access makes life difficult because where once it took half an hour to get to town, it now takes an hour or more.
He told Rural News the mood of farmers is pretty finely balanced and it's somewhere between five or six out of ten.
MacGillivray believes the election result will be a positive for farmers, but many are still worried about the low prices for lamb.
He says there is also uncertainty around land prices and he believes these may fall.
The real winner of this year’s FMG Young Farmer Region-off have been the regional communities.
As calving approaches, farmers need to get their teams ready for what lies ahead in the coming months.
Feeling sluggish this winter? Then try some seasonal fruit, renowned for lifting mood, energy and immunity levels just when we need it most.
The missing link in getting maximum weight gain in your calves may be as simple as keeping them warm, says the Christchurch manufacturer of a range of woollen covers for young livestock.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Massey University are joining forces to help raise awareness and funds to combat leptospirosis.
Auckland-based supplement and nutritional company New Image International is celebrating 40 years of business in their home country.
OPINION: In 2021 a group of prominent academics got ’cancelled’ for daring to oppose changes to the school curriculum that…
OPINION: On top of the rural banking inquiry, several as-yet-unnamed banks are facing a complaint to the Financial Markets Authority…