28 May 2013

Central Hawke's Bay drought over, but challenges remain

9:22 am on 28 May 2013

The drought has finally broken in Central Hawke's Bay but farmers still face trying times as they attempt to rebuild.

More than 40mm of rain fell in the region in the past week, at the end of the region's worst drought in 70 years.

East Coast Rural Support Trust coordinator Mike Barham says rain from a warm northerly has stimulated grass growth and cheered up farmers.

Central Hawke’s Bay hill country pasture is taking longer to recover than on the plains.

Central Hawke’s Bay hill country pasture is taking longer to recover than on the plains. Photo: RNZ

But he says the big problem is they must try to hang on to money they made from selling capital stock during the drought, so they can buy new breeding stock next year.

Mr Barham says what is believed to be the biggest movement of stock feed in New Zealand's history is continuing in Hawke's Bay, with about half the 8000 big bales of stock feed due from Canterbury transported so far.

Meanwhile, the region's drought has had a knock-on effect for Chatham Islands farmers who have not been able to ship their stock to Hawke's Bay as they usually would.

Chatham Islands Shipping has been helping move stock feed from Canterbury to Hawke's Bay.

Chief executive Dennis Nisbet says the firm is working at cost because of the close relationship with farmers in the region.

Mr Nisbet says 15,000 lambs have been held back for several months on the Chathams because there hasn't been enough feed in Hawke's Bay to move them.

He says there will be a big movement of stock in the next few months as Chatham Islands farmers try to get sheep and cattle to the mainland before the end of winter.