A new climate change risk assessment from the Climate Change Commission has identified Hawke's Bay as one of the regions most exposed to climate-related risks in New Zealand.
The commission's six-yearly report uses the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle as a case study of "compound climate risk", describing the cyclone as a "cascading event" that developed from an extreme weather event into a broader crisis affecting infrastructure, communities, and food production.
The report cites sediment loss, hill country instability, forestry debris, and floodplain damage to high-value agricultural land as some of the long-term impacts still affecting the region three years after the cyclone.
According to the report, growers continue to face higher insurance costs, increased rates, redevelopment expenses, and financing challenges. Banks are reportedly reluctant to recognise orchard developments as loan security, limiting further investment in orchard expansion and technology.
Paul Paynter of Mr Yummy Apples said the cyclone continues to affect grower balance sheets through increased debt and lower equity levels.
"These are crippling at a time when there is real impetus in remote sensing, unmanned equipment. There is a great deal of productivity-enhancing tech, but we cannot fund it."
Paynter said his company lost more than 180,000 trees and US$5.9 million worth of assets during the cyclone.
The report highlighted the North Island Weather Events financing scheme as an important support mechanism for growers. However, growers are expected to begin repaying both principal and interest on those loans as the program comes to an end.
The report noted that many replanted orchards remain two to three years away from full production while facing repayment obligations.
An ongoing issue following Gabrielle has also been tree losses linked to disease and viruses after the cyclone. Some orchards recorded tree losses of up to 50 per cent by 2025.
Climate Change Commission chief executive Jo Hendy said the frequency of damaging weather events in New Zealand has increased.
"Fifteen years ago, damaging storm events happened about once a month – now it's more like once a week."
The report calls for greater investment in infrastructure, community safety, nature, and the bioeconomy to improve resilience against future climate-related events.
Source: Farmers Weekly
