Farming Conditions

Many North Island regions are continuing to cut silage or baleage which is most unusual for this time of year. In the South Island wet weather's making harvesting of grapes in Marlborough very very… Audio

Taranaki's had some decent weather. Areas that were exceptionally dry until the end of February have had good rain but are still reasonably short of grass and both pasture and cow condition need to… Audio

Extremely heavy downpours of rain in the central North Island this week have resulted in massive slips, road blockages and power cuts. West Coast dairy farmers are starting to de-stock and pregnancy… Audio

Weaner fairs are just starting in Northland and prices are expected to be on a par with last year. Waikato farmers are still making silage which is a rare occurrence for early March. More rain at the… Audio

Taranaki farmers have been mucking in together and sharing generators to get cows milked. There's cleaning up to do following damage from former cyclone Gita. Audio

Hawkes Bay apple growers are flat out harvesting Royal Gala, which account for about 40 percent of regions apple crop. Plums are being picked and apple and pear harvesting is due to start soon in… Audio

The Gisborne region is flush with feed. Some Marlborough grape growers have been battling powdery mildew and botrytis thanks to unusually moist conditions. Audio

East Coast cropping farmers are flat out. Sweetcorn is coming to an end, the first shipment of squash has left for Japan and brassica crops are maturing quickly. A storm on the West Coast has damaged… Audio

Most of the North Island is looking surprisingly green, Marlborough is too but farms at the bottom of the South Island are experiencing drought-like conditions Audio

There will be no asparagus on the Christmas dinner table in Horowhenua - moisture stress has left the plants tired and sad. Most people have completed the final wire lift in vineyards across the top… Audio

Most of the North Island hoped in vain for passing thunder storms to drop rain this week, but only Gisborne, parts of Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa were lucky. In the South Island rain did fall in… Audio

The East Coast's been warm with no wind which farmers have loved but they're all mindful it's getting dry. That's not reflected in sale yard prices yet however, the store market for lambs and cattle… Audio

Northland has had a good week with sunshine during the day and showers at night. There is enough rain to keep pasture ticking over which means there's still good demand for store cattle at the sale… Audio

Hot, calm days are suiting bees on orchards, but Hawkes Bay hasn't had any significant rain for six or seven weeks and it needs some. Eastern Marlborough is drying up too so farmers are offloading… Audio

Very little grass silage has been made in dairy farming areas of the North Island so farmers are being warned they probably won't be able to buy any when they need it. Audio

Hawkes Bay farmers are looking forward to the predicted moisture arriving this weekend. Milk production on dairy farms is ahead of last year and cows have been cycling particularly well. Canterbury's… Audio

Maize is germinating well in most North Island areas, it's a little later going in than normal, and asparagus has had a terrific growing week. Lamb marking is in full swing in Central Otago and… Audio

In King Country fine weather is let docking gangs separate thousands of lambs from their tails, and asparagus is growing better with warmer, drier conditions . Farmers in Canterbury are planting… Audio

At last some more stable fine weather is letting North Island farmers get onto cultivating pastures and making silage, while at the top of South Island flower bud thinning is underway in kiwifruit… Audio

Waikato has had a break from relentless rain this week but Canterbury has had plenty; 100 mils fell across the region halting cultivating, drilling and the spreading of fertiliser. Audio