`We are irrigating ... a lot goes straight through'

By LIZ ST GEORGE liz.stgeorge@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki | Wednesday, 28 November 2007

Farmers in South Taranaki's coastal areas are only days away from a drought as strong, dry winds and cloudless skies sap their farmland.

Many are predicting they will be in serious trouble if there is not substantial rain within a fortnight - some say earlier.

While Metservice is expecting showers for the South Taranaki area on Friday, these are not likely to be substantial.

Many farmers are reporting an unusually dry spring with coastal areas hardest hit. Opunake farmer Joe Carey says his farm is the driest for this time of year since 1991 and the dry spell is one of the worst he has experienced in 30 years

"It is the lack of rainfall in September, October and this month," he says. "I guess there is a window of about a fortnight before it gets reasonably serious. It is not just the fact it is a bit dry, it is the effect on the crops, the turnips and maize, it is further down the track."

Taranaki Farmers Opunake Livestock rep Bryan Goodin said he had noticed water levels in the drains and rivers had dropped in the area and farms were suffering under a drying wind as well.

Taranaki Farmers Hawera livestock agent Garry Johns says the south and western sides of SH 45 where the farms have sandy soils are the most affected.

"It is certainly dry.

"It is not desperate yet. It will be another 10 days before we start to say they are in trouble."

Mark Schrider, who farms in Patea, has been irrigating since September. Normally he starts in December.

Richard Julian, who farms south of Opunake, has also resorted to irrigating earlier than usual. "We're pretty dry. We are irrigating a lot of the farm, a lot goes straight through."

Mr Julian has farmed in the area all his life and thinks it is one of the driest Novembers he has had.

Otakeho farmer Alaister Murdoch says he is more concerned about the Waimate West water scheme.

South Taranaki District Council water supply manager Peter Cook says the reservoir for that scheme is hovering around the 50 percent mark.

"The reservoir, at full capacity, only holds about two to three days storage. Unless people get the message and start conserving we may be faced with a situation of not having enough water to go around," he said.