Hay surplus defies forecast

Haymaking near Hastings last month. A climate with rain at the right times has meant a good season for crops and pastures across much of Hawke's Bay. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hawke's Bay farmers could start giving away hay after an unusually strong growing season which has defied forecasters who just a few months ago forecasted the region was plunging into a drought of the scale being experienced in North Canterbury.

Federated Farmers provincial president Will Foley said there's a lot of surplus feed now in Hawke's Bay, with farmers now becoming shy on stage space.

"There will be a lot of it that will go out of the area, sold to dairy farmers, but it's a little bit uncertain whether dairy farmers will want to buy it or pay the price, this year. A lot of haysheds are being filled, and I have had a few contacting me wanting to donate it."

That could come as good news for those in North Canterbury, who, along with farmers in Marlborough and part of Otago are to receive more Goverment support as they enter the second year of a "medium-scale event classification".

It was put in place in February last year and Primary Industries minister Nathan Guy yesterday announced it is being extended to at least the end of June.

Much of the area had had "very little" rain since February last year, he said after a farm meeting in North Canterbury, at which he announced further funding for Rural Support trusts helping farmers through the difficulties.

Federated Farmers North Canterbury provincial president Frank Brenmuhl told Hawke's Bay Today there was some importing of feed into the area, but for most little was available at a reasonable price in relation to their predicament and the markets.

He said most had been destocking, drastically in some cases.

"I've spoken to one farmer who would have 1100 lambs for fattening about now," he said. "He's now got 11."

Mr Foley said that in Hawke's Bay there are farmers who in anticipation of a hammering from the El Nino effect had not restocked because of the predictions in the spring and now have significant surplus feed. "They couldn't have got it more wrong," he said, reflecting a heartland view of the climatology which had shaped plans for the season. "After this year's growth everything's going to be pretty well charged."

The hot days lately mean conditions in Hawke's Bay are becoming drier, but, he said, nothing other than farmers would expect.