29th April 2026 // Rural News in partnership with Farmlands

El Niño forecast to hit New Zealand from winter onwards Government secures extra diesel reserves amid global uncertainty Halter launches world-first satellite virtual fencing for cattle   El Niño forecast to hit New Zealand from winter onwards New Zealand farmers could be facing a significant shift in weather patterns from winter onwards, with Earth Sciences New Zealand meteorologists now confident an El Niño event is developing in the tropical Pacific. Global climate models show a greater than sixty percent probability the event will be classified as strong by spring, with potential to intensify further. Earth Sciences New Zealand and MetService meteorologist Jon Tunster says La Niña has only just ended, but the flip to El Niño could be rapid. For farmers, the practical implications vary sharply by region. Southland, Otago, and west-facing South Island areas could see increased rainfall, while the east of both islands and the upper North Island face potential dryness heading into spring. A nationwide cold winter appears unlikely, though cold snaps of several days are possible. Tunster says given the projected strength of this event, it will be very surprising if New Zealand doesn't feel some impacts.   Government secures extra diesel reserves amid global uncertainty The Government has secured an additional nine days of diesel supply to bolster New Zealand's fuel resilience amid global market uncertainty. Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say a deal has been signed with Z Energy to procure ninety million litres of New Zealand specification diesel, to be stored at Marsden Point in Northland from early June. The move follows ongoing volatility in global oil markets linked to the Middle East conflict. Willis says the additional supply acts as strategic insurance for keeping the economy moving. Z Energy will procure and manage the fuel, but the Crown will control its release into the market. The supply sits outside existing minimum stockholding requirements held by fuel companies.   Halter launches world-first satellite virtual fencing for cattle New Zealand agtech company Halter has launched world-first direct-to-satellite virtual fencing technology for beef cattle — removing the need for on-farm infrastructure entirely. Previously reliant on radio towers, Halter's GPS-enabled collars can now connect directly to Starlink, opening the technology to remote regions including Central Otago, Gisborne, and Southland's high country. The company estimates the upgrade will expand access to Halter for New Zealand beef farms by at least twenty percent. Central Otago farmer Bevan McKnight, who runs thirteen-thousand hectares at Northburn Station, says the technology will allow him to graze large blocks of land previously unreachable — an option that would have required twenty-five towers under the old system. The launch also includes Halter's largest-ever product upgrade, covering heat detection, animal behaviour monitoring, and precision pasture management tools.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.