Catch-up year for farmers

‘‘We have done a lot of business so far and we expect the last part of the year to be strong. We are feeling like the market is pretty strong.’’ Cervus Equipment Feilding branch manager Dan Clavelle

Much of the rural spending at the Central Districts Field Days focused on maintenance and smallscale items.

An air of positivity surrounded the second day of the annual event in Feilding, on the back of a solid financial season for farmers.

ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny said after two down years, sinking money into items like new tractors was not top of the list for many farmers.

‘‘[A solid financial year] has been a long time coming, so nobody is doing cartwheels because it is making up for a couple of lean seasons,’’ he said.

‘‘Debt is still their No 1 priority and when it comes to spending, there is a little bit of catch up with things they have been deferring – maintenance and that kind of thing.

‘‘Big-ticket items probably aren’t on their list, but the smaller stuff is. There is milk-cooling regulations in place and it is those sorts of things that they are in a position to look at.’’

Cervus Equipment Feilding branch manager Dan Clavelle said the firm was having a great start to the year – selling its bigger equipment.

‘‘This year, for us, we have done a lot of big gear. We have done a few harvesters and have a lot of big tractors on order, so we are feeling very confident across the board.

‘‘In this region, it has been a strong start to the year. There is a lot of confidence out there. We have done a lot of business so far and we expect the last part of the year to be strong. We are feeling like the market is pretty strong.’’

He said Field Days gave the firm a good opportunity to catch up with clients and meet more potential clients.

‘‘It is not very often that you get all your customers come in in a three-day period, so we make the most of that.’’

Penny said farmers’ financial confidence was in a good place.

‘‘I think that the mood is reasonably positive and it’s pretty wide-based. Dairy is OK. It is $6.40 milk price, which is paying the bills and a bit of debt, but not a lot more. But the meat sector, with lamb and beef prices, are really good.

‘‘This is the best season in memory [for lamb]. It is probably starting to look better than it was in 2011. I don’t think we have ever had higher prices in March.

‘‘When you go into other sectors, horticulture is also really strong.’’

National Party leader Simon Bridges said it was good to see the positivity in the sector.

‘‘The purchases of new tractors, if this show is anything to go by, are going pretty well. That said, they will also want to save for a rainy day to make sure they are resilient,’’ he said.

There were solid crowds through the gates on the first two days of Field Days, with both affected by rain.

Aqua Tanks’ Owen Dibley said Thursday afternoon was quiet and yesterday morning started slowly, but he said the crowds then started to build well.

‘‘We get lots of contacts and lots of sales,’’ he said.

The event’s final day is today.