Dry month curbs onions, potatoes
WEEKEND rain has only ‘‘dampened down the dust’’ in Wairarapa, and onion and potato growers throughout the country are struggling with the dry conditions.
Onion production may be cut by 10 per cent, and it appears potatoes will also be in scarce supply at harvest time in May-June.
East coast regions of the South Island did not get the rain that fell in the north, and concern is growing about the impact on the Canterbury economy.
Transport and contracting firm Woodley’s said the need for casual workers had dropped by half compared to last year and in some areas harvesting, silage and trans- port had stopped because there had been no growth due to the lack of water.
Hort NZ business manager Matthew Spence said yields per hectare of onions had been revised downwards. ‘‘Production could be reduced by 10 per cent. The dry conditions will have an effect on the size of the bulb. Production is determined by irrigation, with 100 per cent of the South Island usually fully irrigated but they are now on restrictions,’’ Spence said.
Exports would also be affected. Onions are New Zealand’s most valuable vegetable exports, worth on average $100 million a year for the past 10 years. The best markets of Britain and European Union had good crops last year ‘‘so their appetite for New Zealand onions won’t be as keen as in recent years’’.
Pukekohe onion grower Peter Reynolds, who supplies for the domestic market, said he did not envisage prices would rise.
‘‘Prices are dictated by how much is exported, we growers for the local market are pretty well organised with irrigation and we try pretty hard to look after our buyers. There won’t be an overabundance though,’’ he said.
Potatoes NZ chairman Champak Mehta said the potato-growing areas most affected were Pukekohe, Manawatu and Canterbury, the latter relying on irrigation. ‘‘But those Canterbury growers are down to 25 per cent of their total water allocation, and aside from that we are finding bores and wells are also drying up,’’ he said.
‘‘This will definitely have an impact on the yield when we harvest in May-June, but we don’t know what that will be.’’
Castlepoint farmer and Federated Farmers vice-president Anders Crofoot said his area had had about 11mm of rain, but needed about 50mm. It had ‘‘dampened down the dust’’.
‘‘Farmers are definitely on edge and are expecting a dry February, but they have prepared for it by destocking,’’ Crofoot said.
Central and southern Hawke’s Bay had benefited from 20mm of weekend rain, Feds provincial president Will Foley said.