Rain in North Canterbury is a welcome sight for drought-stricken farmers but they warn they're not out of the woods yet.
Cheviot farmer Vincent Daly. Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
Parchedness has plagued the region for more than a year and local farmers say it is the driest they have seen in 25 years.
The drought and subsequent lack of feed meant many farmers were forced to heavily de-stock, and some were now left with half the number of animals they would usually have.
Vincent Daly, who runs a 160ha cropping farm, said recent rainfall was keeping crops going but the region was not out of the woods yet.
"We got 15mm last Thursday and then we had another five or six two days ago," he said.
"I see on our NIWA weather station we're up to nearly 30 percent moisture, which would be about the highest since January last year. So we're still dry but all the brassica crops are striking, and the fodder beet that's gone in in the last three weeks, so it's been ideal rains for that."
However, farmers had not been able to increase stock numbers yet, Mr Daly said.
"A lot of them are just trying to build up supplement feed first...they don't want to be caught out bringing in stock and then finding they've got to get rid of them straight away.
"The local vet was saying there's really no cow feed in the whole Hurunui."
Mr Daly said farmers' spirits were not too low but they were taking a wait and see approach before buying in more stock.
