Drought zone north of harbour bridge

Farmers are still recovering from last summer's drought. Photo / Christine Cornege

All parts of New Zealand north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge have been officially declared a drought zone, although total milk production at dairy giant Fonterra is up on last year.

Agriculture Minister David Carter yesterday declared all areas north of the bridge a medium-level drought zone, triggering relief measures for farmers, including funding for Rural Support Trusts, welfare support and farm management advice.

"The situation in Northland is serious," Carter said. "Farmers are still recovering from last summer's drought and they're now facing it all over again, weeks earlier than expected."

A wet summer would not change the severity of the situation as Northland had experienced its driest spring on record, he said. Carter urged those farmers who were finding the situation tough to seek advice.

"Across the country, it's shaping up to be a long summer and there is every likelihood other areas will soon find themselves in the same situation as Northland."

Fonterra chief executive Andrew Ferrier said that it was too soon to predict any impact from the weather on national milk production levels.

"Certainly our production is falling below what we anticipated at this point in time but there's still quite a bit of time to play out in the season and if the weather does turn we may end up with a reasonably good season.

"We are running up on last year and I would suspect unless it's incredibly dry we'll stay up on last year but the question is whether we'll be flat with last year or how much above last year, that's too early to say."

Northland had been the worst-hit area but it was also tough in Waikato and was getting very dry in the northern part of the South Island, Ferrier said.

"In reading the papers, though, the forecasters seem adamant that we are in a La Nina cycle and that we will ultimately get a substantial amount of rain and I certainly hope for farmers that's the case."