Taps ran dry in Martinborough last Friday after water reservoirs ran out and an alarm supposed to alert the council when supply is low, failed to go off.

This winter was not a good one for farmers in the Fertile Crescent.

Farmers in the Waikato and parts of Northland say they are battling one of the driest summers in memory.

Farmers living in areas that are increasingly becoming drought hot spots will have to prepare for drier times ahead, a climate scientist says.

Parts of the Waikato are as dry or drier than during last year's severe drought.

Australia continues to be the "burning, drying" continent, with a new report showing temperatures across the country are 1C warmer than they were a century ago.

This year's drought was one of New Zealand's most extreme and the worst in nearly 70 years, a study has revealed.

Drought took its toll on the trade balance last month. Exports exceeded imports by $157 million, equivalent to 4 per cent of exports.

The rain is here and the grass is growing but some farmers will still be battling the effects of the worst drought in 30 years over the winter months.

The tiny Outback town of Richmond, 400km east of Mt Isa in northwest Queensland, celebrated its annual fossil festival last week.

Drought relief provisions for farmers will continue until the end of September, the Government said.

The worst drought in 40 years could cost the West Coast tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue, a leading West Coast farmer warns.

Join us at noon today for a live chat with Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills. You can send in your questions now.

Led by dairy products, prices for export commodities surged last month - and this time the rise in world prices was not eaten up by a higher exchange rate.

Desperate farmers in southern Hawkes Bay may receive some welcome relief this week from this summer's record drought but those in the north of the province can expect the big dry to continue.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council says a hold up in water restrictions for the region being put in place is down to the Wellington City Council.

Wellington's water shortage is looking less dire after an overwhelming response to water conservation messages.

Fine weather over the Easter weekend is good news for holidaymakers but bad for most farmers waiting for significant rain to break the drought.