Dry conditions are affecting farms across parts of the South Island. Photo: 123RF
Feed is starting to run low in parts of Otago as the region grapples with ongoing dry conditions.
NIWA's latest Hotspot Watch shows there are dry to extremely dry conditions in large portions of the northwestern and lower South Island.
Hamish Bielski's sheep and beef farm is one of the driest parts of the region between Balclutha and Clinton.
"We are boarding on extremely dry. It's very challenging conditions. We've been through a lot of dry years since I've been here but this is probably one of the worst because it's been a lot earlier than the other ones.
"In 2020 a drought was declared in January but then we got about 200 mills a couple of days later so it was okay, but this time around we would be as dry as that but we've gone a month longer without any real significant rain."
Bielski said he got a good inch of rain on his farm last week but it was only enough to stop the plants shrivelling up.
"It's a long way to go before we actually have excess feed, we've had to graze out a third of our ewes, all our trading stock have gone, lambs all went weeks ago.
"So we've done everything possible but it gets to a point where the next step is buying in supplementary feed which adds more cost on top of the grazing that we're already doing."
Bielski and other farmers in the region are questioning why a drought hasn't been declared.
"It's frustrating and to me, it's a slap in the face when they sit around a table and wonder whether to declare a drought, meanwhile farmers all over the place are just screaming for rain. It's pretty clear we're in a drought... we'll be lucky to make a profit this year.
"It's not about financial support; it's just about recognition of what we're dealing with down here."
Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said he was keeping a close eye on the dry conditions in the South Island.
"I am getting regular updates, and we are relying on advice and assessment from people on the ground in the regions."
Otago Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Logan Wallace said the soil on his farm at Waipahe was also very dry.
"We've been lucky we've been able to shift stock when we want to this year so most farmers have made early decisions and moved stock on, but we are still feeling it this year.
"Everyone's hoping for some rain soon so at least we can get a good scanning and lambing percentage next year, as opposed to what we had last year where everything was back."
Wallace said farmers have sold lambs at lighter weights because feed was running out rapidly.
"Some are buying in feed, we did have a relatively kind spring so there was a wee bit more supplement made but the risk is that some of that supplement is supposed to be destined for winter feed but it's being fed out now."
This was the third severe drought in four years, he said.
"A lot of guys have been changing their farming practices with a lot more summer crop grown which has helped, but a lot of it comes down to planning.
"It's pretty bad down here but we're all watching what's happening up north with the effects of the cyclone. So I think farmers down here aren't wanting to make a lot of noise at the moment because although what we're going through is bad it's not as bad as up there."
