Marlborough's salt harvest a washout

Unprecedented rainfall has drastically cut production at Marlborough's Lake Grassmere salt works.

Early estimates put this year's harvest at about 27,000 tonnes - less than a quarter of the 130,000 tonnes of salt produced during the same period last year.

That equalled 1998, when the Australia-New Zealand company had its most successful year, with hot, dry weather throughout the salt-making season helping Dominion Salt to reap a bountiful harvest from the bottom of its 22 crystallising ponds.

But this season heavy rain and a lack of wind have diluted salt stocks.

"It's been bad, very bad," said manager John Bugler.

Between October and the end of last month the site received well over 360mm of rain, more than a third of which fell in January, washing away about 16,000 tonnes of existing salt crust.

On January 18, 19mm fell in 10 minutes, which "really put the cap" on the salt-producing season, Mr Bugler said.

"What would really make me a happy man is if we could see another five to six weeks of hot, dry conditions and warm norwesterly winds.

"More rain will just set us back further and unfortunately we have to harvest before the end of April when the evaporating window disappears."

Mr Bugler remained philosophical about the company's fortune, adding that inconsistent weather patterns were just a factor of salt production.

The company has two years of carry-over stock to call on when such slumps occur. It expects to start harvesting next month.

- NZPA

nzherald.co.nz/environment