El Niño: Weather pattern could raise farm input costs but New Zealand agriculture sector seen as resilient

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WhanganuiAll Manawatū - WhanganuiWhanganuiPalmerston NorthManawatūTararuaHorowhenuaWellingtonAll WellingtonKapitiWairarapaUpper HuttLower HuttNelson & TasmanAll Nelson & TasmanMotuekaNelsonTasmanMarlboroughWest CoastCanterburyAll CanterburyKaikōuraChristchurchAshburtonTimaruOtagoAll OtagoOamaruDunedinBalcluthaAlexandraQueenstownWanakaSouthlandAll SouthlandInvercargillGoreStewart IslandMediaVideoAll VideoNZ news videoHerald NOWBusiness news videoPolitics news videoSport videoWorld news videoLifestyle videoEntertainment videoTravel videoMarkets with MadisonKea Kids newsPodcastsAll PodcastsThe Front PageThe Economy of EverythingThe Prosperity ProjectA Moment in CrimeDesert PiratesNo Such Thing as NormalHeaven's HelplineAsk me AnythingThe Little ThingsCartoonsPhoto galleriesToday's Paper - E-editionsPhoto salesClassifiedsNZME NetworkAdvertise with NZMEOneRoofDriven Car GuideBusinessDeskNewstalk ZBSunliveZMThe HitsCoastRadio HaurakiThe Alternative Commentary CollectiveGoldFlavaiHeart RadioHokonuiRadio WanakaiHeartCountry New ZealandRestaurant HubNZME EventsJamie GrayBusiness Reporter·NZ Herald·21 Jul, 2026 10:48 PM4 mins to read‌Earth Sciences New Zealand principal scientist Chris Brandolino joins The Front Page to explain what’s driving this El Niño event, what it could mean for NZ in the months ahead.New Zealand’s agriculture sector should be able to withstand the current El Niño weather pattern, although it may lead to increased farm costs, an agricultural economist says. Earth Sciences New Zealand this month confirmed El Niño conditions have been reached the tropical Pacific and are expected to strongly influence New