Ōhaupō farmer Andrew Reymer.
Ōhaupō farmer Andrew Reymer.
Heavy spring rain has set up a productive season for farmers, says a Waipā farming leader.
Te Awamutu Federated Farmers representative and Ōhaupō farmer Andrew Reymer said while there were some heavy falls, none of them were out of the ordinary.
“That’s given us a good start to spring and soil moisture levels are looking good going into summer compared to the last two years,” he said.
“Some on farm silage has already gone in and maize crops starting to go in the ground around the Waikato which is great to see this time of year.”
According to MetService statistics Waipā saw an average rain fall of around 150-170mm of rain fall over September, one and a half times the normal September average of 95-100mm for the region.
Supply issues will be an ongoing problem, says Reymer.
“More locally supplied stores have been able to stay open but again, supply for products produced or dispatched from Auckland have been delayed and (this has) caused issues for farmers,” he said.
Reymer said the payout estimate remains strong and recent feedback from Fonterra shows a positive path forward.
Fonterra’s milk price range for the 2021/22 season of $7.25 - $8.75 per kgMS, with a midpoint of $8 per kgMS, is a considerable jump on last seasons midpoint of $7.54 per kgMS.
“The logistics of getting our products produced and dispatched can not be underestimated with Covid and shipping restrictions, so they should not go unrecognised as a key part of the New Zealand economy,” Reymer said.
Most farmers now switch their attention from calving to mating duties as well as the usual spring cropping responsibilities.
Reymer hopes that farmers make time for family over the school holidays after a busy calving season.
