Dry threat to kumara crop | Rural

Kaipara - New Zealand kumara capital - is under threat from the second drought in as many years. Growers face not only dry conditions but lack of water to irrigate and dropping consumer demand due to the recession.

The district is well into the planting season and, with minimal rain since mid-October, plants are already showing stress.

Experienced  kumara growers know the drought is going make it a tough season - and while they hope for good rain soon - this season's crop will depend more than ever on farmers' daily decision-making. Last week while in Dargaville, Agriculture Minister David Carter declared Northland a drought zone.

"It was good to have it  declared as it galvanises people's opinions, allowing them to make clearer decisions," said farmer Andre de Bruin.

"With issues around water supply, growers are having to make hard decisions as how to protect their crops," said Mr de Bruin, who has been farming kumara for more than 15 years.

He said farm water sources had not "recharged" from last year's drought and some farmers were already running out of water for irrigation.

"Growers have a good network system and some are already sharing their water resources with others - but what happens when these systems dry up?"

Mr de Bruin said he was unable to predict what sort of crop could be expected.

"Unlike potato, you can't tell from above the ground what quantity the crop will produce."

The recession saw no  active demand for kumara. Mr de Bruin said kumara were not the cheapest vegetable on the supermarket shelf and the recession had seen a drop  in consumer demand.

"Kumara farming incurs high labour costs under normal circumstances - the drought will push these costs even higher," he said. "Optimistically, we are one decent rain away from a good crop, but if it drags on any further - it's anyone guess." 

Warren Suckling, who has grown kumara for 24 years, says he has never seen it so dry.

"It's now critical," he said. "If we don't get rain in the next month or so we will have a poor season."

He  had learnt  from last year's drought - noting those plants established early and with the benefit of rain had done well in spite of the dry summer. However, the later plantings, which were artificially watered, struggled.

"The quality was okay, but the volume dramatically reduced. Mother nature is wonderful - the plants decide how much fruit to set for the conditions in order to survive," he said.

However, water supply was also an issue for Mr Suckling.

 "We started the season well - for the first time in 24 years we lost no planting days to rainfall - the whole 40 hectares is planted - but the drought has hit early.

"Our water supply is already low and we are struggling to resource water - already carrying it long distances."

The Government's drought declaration will open the door to advisory and other support for farmers but the situation remains critical. Farming groups have already been advising  members to de-stock rather than try to buy in supplemental feed or rely on predictions of heavy late summer rain.

Pastoral farmers will be hit hard by lack of supplementary feed - little hay and silage has been made in the district and those who planted maize or other crops for stock fodder will be lucky to get a good crop.

Mr Carter said the  region north of Auckland was experiencing a medium-level drought.

 "The situation in Northland is serious," he said.

"Farmers are still recovering from last summer's drought and they're now facing it all over again, weeks earlier than expected."

 Even  a wet summer wouldn't change the severity of the situation as Northland has experienced its driest spring on record.