Drought spells catastrophe for the region
Three Waikato districts ‘‘really struggling’’ with a lack of autumn rainfall fear drought concerns are being overshadowed by Covid-19.
Despite the Waikato region having a series of good rainfall events over the past month, Hauraki, Matamata-Piako and the Thames-Coromandel have largely been given a miss.
According to Niwa’s New Zealand Drought Index, the Waikato district spent 61 consecutive days in drought, while Whitianga recorded its driest JanuaryApril on record.
‘‘With Covid-19, the focus has primarily been around retail shops and businesses, but we’ve also got to share a thought that the farmers are in one of their worst droughts in history,’’ Matamata-Piako mayor Ash Tanner told
‘‘Maybe it’s time the Government eases off on some of its legislations affecting the farmers, because they are under enough pressure as it is.’’
The districts’ three mayors toured farms around the Hauraki Plains yesterday, and alongside members from the agricultural sector, were told that farmers shouldn’t shy away from playing the sympathy card when required.
They should also never lose hope. Rachel and Brent Aitchison, who showed the three mayors around their drought-stricken farm off State Highway 2, said they likely hadn’t had even 80ml of rain since January.
‘‘You can see the sky as black as an ace of spades, but nothing at all will drop here.’’
Hauraki mayor Toby Adams said his district’s drains and soil moisture had ‘‘never been so low’’.
He also told that Ngatea was an example of how uncontrollable events could greatly impact people’s livelihood.
‘‘The Ngatea community was hit with state highway renovations that shut their business, Covid-19 that shut their business, and now the farming sector’s business is drying off. So they are not going to do well.
‘‘We need to get in there and have some mechanisms to help, otherwise it could potentially spiral into something catastrophic.’’
‘‘This drought is creating a hidden tsunami of an effect for our spring, for farmers and their livestock, and also for our food production sectors,’’ Mayor Sandra Goudie, of Thames-Coromandel, added.
‘‘Come spring, if we don’t get the optimum levels of rainfall, we’re stuffed.’’
Coromandel National MP Scott Simpson also attended the event, run by DairyNZ, and said he wouldn’t mind playing the sympathy card with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.
‘‘We’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain,’’ he said.
The Waikato Primary Industries Adverse Event Cluster also heard this week that pasture cover was very low for many farmers in the districts, presenting a serious situation heading into winter.
Farmers have fed a lot of supplementary feed over summer and many have eaten into, or even used their entire winter reserves, Waikato Rural Support Trust chairman Neil Bateup said.
‘‘The feed situation remains tight for everyone. It is imperative everyone has a plan, and continues to review their plan.
‘‘Seek advice from your neighbour, farm adviser, accountant and bank.’’
A weekly drought recovery newsletter has been published by the Waikato Rural Support Trust, with 83,000 copies being dropped into all rural letterboxes in Waikato and South Auckland. Contact Waikato Rural Support Trust 0800 78 72 54 (0800 RURAL HELP).