Farmers are struggling in the midst of a dryer-than-usual Hawke's Bay autumn.
The Niwa climate report for April said soils were "notably drier than normal" in Hawke's Bay, and parts of the region had also received significantly less rainfall than would have been expected.
MetService data also showed the twin cities received less than the historical average of rainfall last month.
Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay president Will Foley said some farmers were "struggling" with the dry weather, as the autumn season became known as the "autumn dry".
"The rainfall generally has been enough, but there's an area out toward the coast that's still struggled to recover from the autumn dry. Omakere, Pourerere, down to Porangahau, they just haven't been getting the rainfall we get inland. If we get 50mm, they'll only get 20mm, which hasn't been enough to get their pastures going. They are struggling out there."