Albury farmers feel effects of drought

Press, 30 December 1988, Page 3

Albury farmers feel effects of drought

NEIL CLARKSON

By

Dry, barren farmland is a familiar sight round Albury in inland South Canterbury — but not in December.

Summer heat and winds invariably leave the countryside parched by late February, when autumn rain and lower temperatures are only weeks away. Farmers at Albury and round much of South Can-

growth. With no summer growth, all we are hoping for is some autumn growth to get us through winter.” Mr France said farmers were doing their best to hold on to their breeding ewes.

back to a normal size. Poor prices had raised the spectre of farmers moving away from meat production. “The alternative is to go for wool — carrying the same stock numbers, slightly more if possible,

stock. You can not have stock suffering and starving.” The drought had increased the financial burden on farmers.

“I get the feeling it has gone past the worrying point for some farmers. A lot of people I have talked to have gone past that point.”

terbury face the two driest months of the year with farmland already struggling to accommodate reduced stock numbers. “We have just had it so long,” said Mr John France, who farms a 1000-hectare property, The Brothers, at Albury. "It started here about March or April, but for a lot of people it started earlier than that. “I am predicting it will go through to February. But what stock numbers are we going to be able to carry through winter next year? “There was no spring

Many hoggets have been sent south for grazing. Some farmers in the area had slashed their hogget flock to less than half. Old ewes went to the works long ago. An Albury resident, Mr Les McMillan, of Rocky Gully Road, was quick to point out the value of old ewes. “Some of my neighbours have sent sheep along to the works and got a bill back. That is the value of them. Nothing.” Mr France said it could take five years for farmers to breed flocks

just for wool.” Between April and September Mr France fed out up to 900 round bales of hay and about 1000 tonnes of silage, accumulated over three to four years. He has just 100 tonnes of silage and between 100 and 200 hay bales remaining. Mr France has bought 10 tonnes of sheep nuts for $3OOO which he is feeding out to 1100 hoggets and 100 Merinos at a cost of $7O a day. It seems inevitable, however, that more stock will have to go to the works. “You have got to de-

Some consider it their bank’s problem. “They say, ‘lt’s the bank manager’s problem. I’ve tried my best. If they want to charge 14, 18 or 22 per cent for their money, it’s their problem.’

“I have heard that one or two times now. They have gone past the point of hope.” Many farmers were unable to service debts.

“A lot of people are not paying their provisional tax because they cannot afford it.”