Vegetable growers in Auckland's rural south say drought conditions are playing havoc with their day-to-day operations and will only add to increased prices for consumers. South Auckland's horticulture industry is centred on the Pukekohe Hub, 4359 hectares of some of New Zealand's most fertile and productive land. He said the unusually dry conditions over the past couple of years made it a challenging time for those in the industry. Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association president Kylie Faulkner said the unusually dry conditions had hit the local horticulture industry hard. The drought in south Auckland and the Waikato over autumn was taking its toll on the region's primary sector and more support was needed, he said.

Source: Stuff May 18, 2022 06:28 UTC