Ivan LawrieSouth Island growers appear to have escaped the brunt of the financial pain from a maize glut catching out northern farmers. Unlike the North Island, where many growers are maize-growing specialists, South Island growing is on a smaller land base and growers produce a range of crops. Mr Lawrie said South Island growers had the advantage of producing a wider range of crops with infrastructure developed for more options. "But the main demand of that maize in the South Island is feeding the dairy industry and it does supply the dairy industry quite directly. Mr Lawrie said irrigated Far trials of maize generating "excellent" results in the South Island were on par with North Island production in many cases.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 16, 2024 22:16 UTC