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Earl Worsfold unloads peas after harvesting.
Green gold is flowing around New Zealand as this summer's harvest gets underway.
With pea pods popping in the 30 degree Canterbury heat, Greendale farmer Earl Worsfold hopes this will be a good season for farmers.
Worsfold was harvesting 20ha of blue peas near Darfield last week, destined for Indian food markets. He says at the moment crops on drylands farms appear to be a bit more advanced than those with irrigation.
As the dry weather stretches on he predicts those with water will do better than those without.
With the wells already dry on the 360ha Worsfold family farm they are hoping for rain in the coming weeks to tide them over to winter.
As shareholders in the Central Plains Water scheme the Worsfolds are eagerly awaiting the completion of its second stage, which will bring a consistent water supply to their farm.
Federated Farmers Arable representative for North Canterbury Alan Harvey says the harvest has started with the drylands farms harvesting first, but he reckons it is too early to predict yields.
With about 75% of NZ's pea crop grown in Canterbury and close to 70% of all crops in NZ grown across 140,000ha in Canterbury, everyone from farmers to economists will be watching to see how much production is affected by the prolonged dry spell.
OPINION: Bouquets this week from the old mutt for Fed Farmers and Groundswell for continuing to resist the proposed Gore District plan and its intention to apply costly "cultural values" across the district and a raft of land classifications that are unworkable and counterproductive.
A verbal stoush has broken out between Federated Farmers and a new group that claims to be fighting against cheaper imports that undermine NZ farmers.
Taupiri farmer Chris Woolerton is tipped to take over as Federated Farmers Waikato president from next week.
Farmers want more direct, accurate information about both fuel and fertiliser supply.
Federated Farmers is celebrating following the Government's announcement that young farmers will be able to use their KiwiSaver funds to buy their first home or farm.
The Climate Change Commission has recommended maintaining the current New Zealand Emissions Trading System (NZ ETS) settings but warns of a potential unit shortfall as early as 2028.
The Conservative Party warns that the upcoming free trade agreement between New Zealand and India may prioritise increased labour mobility while offering limited reassurance for New Zealand workers.
Southland District Council says it is actively managing the impacts of the current fuel supply challenges to ensure essential services across the district continue to operate safely and reliably.
A large crowd turned out for the last of the field days of the three finalists in this years Ahuwhenua Trophy to determine the top Maori horticulture entity in Aotearoa New Zealand
National's decision to ‘dribble’ information about the NZ/India to Labour contributed to the delay in it deciding to supported the FTA.
A Hawke's Bay farmer has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half-months' home detention and disqualified from being in charge of or owning sheep and cattle for 12 months for serious animal welfare offending.
