Farmers’ need of aid ‘urgent’

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 1

Farmers’ need of aid ‘urgent’

Timaru reporter Fifty South Canterbury farmers are considered by Government advisers to be in urgent need of drought aid. They are among a group of more than 200 of the region’s farmers who have been referred for help to the Rural Bank by members of a Ministry of Agriculture drought advisory team. The team has visited 652 South Canterbury farmers since late last month. Almost half of the farmers reported deficits in their feed budgets which had to be balanced by selling capital stock or buying more feed. About 240 farmers face losses averaging $12,000 in the coming year.

A further 30 farmers will be visited by advisers in July and many farmers have asked for second visits. The Dominion president of Federated Farmers, Mr Peter Elworthy, said last evening that the predicament faced by farmers in drought areas was a forecast of what was yet to come in other areas of agriculture. He had just completed a two-day tour of farms in South Canterbury and North Otago. The drought and the prospect of lower lamb prices and high interest rates left farmers apprehensive and concerned about their profitability. “None of the budgets are looking at all viable for next year,” he said.