IrrigationNZ calls for 350,000ha more land to be irrigated
Nov. 5 (BusinessDesk) -
IrrigationNZ is calling for a dramatic escalation in
irrigation, saying New Zealand could bring water to an
additional 350,000 hectares by 2025, boosting agricultural
production and providing a buffer against weather events
such as El Nino-induced drought. The lobby group wants a
50 percent increase in irrigated land in the next 10 years,
according to its industry snapshot released today. New
Zealand currently has about 720,000 hectares of irrigated
land, and IrrigationNZ has produced a map showing where
irrigation could be expanded, pushing total watered land to
more than 1 million hectares. Chief executive Andrew
Curtis said New Zealand's primary production growth is being
hampered by a lack of a reliable water supply, which
ultimately holds back economic growth. "Much of regional
New Zealand's future success is reliant on community water
infrastructure developments that create wins for both the
economy and environment," Curtis said. New Zealand
currently extracts about 2 percent of available water,
excluding the 3 percent used for hydro-power, and taking
another 1 percent "would significantly grow the wider
economy," he said. Irrigated farm land generated an
estimated $2.7 billion to the New Zealand economy, the lobby
group said in 2012. New Zealand is "a water-rich country"
and water extraction "is extremely low" compared to other
countries, where irrigation can account for 50 percent-to-70
percent of water use, Curtis said.
Irrigation for
agriculture and horticulture currently uses around 60 per
cent of New Zealand's extracted water, according to
IrrigationNZ. Half of New Zealand's irrigated land is used
for dairy farming, a quarter is taken up by sheep and beef
finishing, and the remaining quarter is made up by vegetable
and arable crops, along with fruit and wine
growing. IrrigationNZ's map of future irrigation adds a
potential 200,000 ha to the existing 444,777 ha of irrigated
land in Canterbury. In Hawkes Bay, where the Ruataniwha
irrigation scheme was opposed by environmental groups,
30,000 ha could be added, more than double land under
irrigation, while in the Wellington area irrigation could
more than triple to 46,638 ha. Northland could add 10,000 ha
of irrigated land to the existing 7,794 ha. Irrigation
schemes are controversial due to their environmental impact,
and proponents often fight an uphill battle with
environmental groups and iwi to get projects off the
ground. In May, the board of inquiry considering the
Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme revised a previous decision
and relaxed water quality conditions that were previously
regarded as unworkable, giving irrigators 15 years to find
ways to manage nitrogen levels in the Tukituki River.
However, would-be investors Infratil and Ngai Tahu had
already pulled out. In October, Forest & Bird said it would
seek a High Court review of the Department of Conservation's
decision to allow 22 hectares of Ruahine Forest Park to be
flooded for irrigation as part of that scheme. In June, a
report by agribanking specialist Rabobank said significant
expansion of irrigated land, which has doubled every 12
years since 1970, has also contributed to land use change
and increased productivity. Future expansion, particularly
in dairy, is now challenged by the impact of land use on
water quality due to higher nutrient levels, which will
affect competition for land and productivity, the report
said. The National Institute of Water & Atmospheric
Research said New Zealand may be heading for a "super El
Nino", reminiscent of the 1997/98 drought, in its October
outlook. NIWA said there's a 99 percent probability of El
Nino conditions continuing over the next three months,
intensifying as they go. Many are citing increased use of
irrigation as potentially mitigating the impact of an El
Nino, as well as more drought tolerant pasture species.
However, water restrictions may apply and sheep and beef
farmers are less likely to have irrigation schemes because
of their hilly
terrain. (BusinessDesk)
By Sophie Boot