Cyclone Gabriel struck the North Island of New Zealand last month. It caused such devastation that it was called the worst natural disaster of this century and the third national emergency was declared.
As recovery slowly progresses, details of the damage are becoming clearer. Agriculture, forestry, livestock farming, and dairy farming have been hit particularly hard.
What is the current state of the wineries you are curious about? We will give you the details.
25% of grapes affected
Hawke's Bay is a wine-producing region in the eastern part of the North Island that was hit by the cyclone. Hawke's Bay is one of New Zealand's oldest wine-producing regions and the second largest wine-producing region in the country, with about 100 wineries. It is also a popular producer of Boxmo wine, but unfortunately the cyclone and the subsequent heavy rains damaged grapes amounting to 25% of the expected harvest.
Hawke's Bay is home to approximately 4,800 hectares of vineyards, roughly the size of 1,000 Tokyo Domes. However, 300 hectares of vineyards were damaged by landslides and floods in this disaster. Of these, 140 hectares of vineyards (3,000 tons of grapes) were completely destroyed.
In addition, the heavy rains after the cyclone damaged 7,000 tons of grapes. Hawke's Bay harvests 40,000 tons of grapes every year, so about 25% of the usual harvest has been damaged. In addition, 40 of the nearly 200 wine-related businesses have been significantly affected.
The cost of repairing the damage is estimated to be around 12 million New Zealand dollars, or about 1 billion yen in Japanese yen.
Currently, the priority is on protecting the vines that were not damaged, and experts in viticulture are working to support the restoration. In addition, a support program has been introduced by experts to provide psychological care to those affected by the disaster and to provide management support.
Recently, there have been a number of charity events like this.
A walking event for dogs and their owners was held at Elephant Hill, one of the wineries in Hawke's Bay.
Participants not only enjoyed walking around the winery with their dogs, but also wine tasting. The dogs were also given salmon treats. The participation fee for this event will be donated to a cyclone relief organization.
Apples and pears also affected
Hawke's Bay is also known as a major producer of apples and pears, and apples from Hawke's Bay are even imported to Japan.
Orchards have also suffered major damage from the disaster, with the expected harvest volume being 33% lower than usual. As a result, the country's overall fruit harvest volume is now 21% lower than expected in January.
However, there is a clear difference between the land that was affected and the land that was not, and it seems that the unaffected land can expect a large harvest this year.
Jazz Apples are popular in Japan and are harvested in large quantities in Hawke's Bay. They are available from May to August, which is the off-season for Japanese apples. Apparently, 97% of the apples imported to Japan are from New Zealand. What will the import volume be this year?
Government adds support
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), which oversees New Zealand's primary industries such as agriculture, forestry, and fishing, initially announced $25 million (about 2 billion Japanese yen) in support for the recovery of the Hawke's Bay region. However, it soon added $26 million (about 2.2 billion Japanese yen) for a total of 51 million.
The subsidy will first be used to repair fences and water facilities on pastures that are necessary for livestock and dairy farming in order to minimize secondary disasters, and then will be used preferentially to remove soil and sand from forests and fields damaged by landslides.
Farmers can apply for grants of up to $2,000 per hectare (up to a maximum of $40,000), and ranches can apply for grants of up to $10,000.
The cyclone has dealt a major blow to New Zealand's biggest industries, and further government support is needed.
