A drought has been declared in Taranaki after hot weather and lack of rain over the past few months.

It's officially a drought, and the patchy brown spots on James Lawn's 164-hectare Taranaki farm have him worried it could get worse.

"I've been saying I'm in trouble here," the Okato man said.

"Two months ago we were saying we needed sun and now we've got a year's worth of vitamin D and no rain."

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF A drought has been declared in Taranaki. Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor visited farmer James Lawn.

In a response to a dry spell, which has been made worse by damaged soils from a wet winter, Lawn has had to stop milking 26 per cent of his 420 grass-fed cows. It will mean a hefty drop in milk production and income for the coastal farmer and hundreds of others like him.

The Government declared Saturday a drought in parts of the North Island including Taranaki, Wellington and Manawatū-Whanganui and provided $160,000 in funding to Rural Support Trusts to help serve their communities and support farmers.

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SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF Okato farmer James Lawn tells Minister for Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O'Connor about having to dry a portion of his herd in response to the drought in Taranaki.

Minister for Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O'Connor, who visited affected farmers in Taranaki on Saturday, made a stop at Lawn's farm.

"The announcement will open the door to any assistance we can give," O'Connor said at their meeting.

He acknowledged the funding was "not a huge amount" but knew trusts were "very good at making that go a long way".

Farmers already feel pressured from low-payouts, O'Connor said, and a drought would only worsen this.

"We've got to make sure we step out and help them."

Tax flexibility and income assistance were also due to be made available in the New Year and the meantime, farmers and growers were urged to contact the Rural Support Trust for advice.

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF Minister for Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O'Connor visited farmers in Taranaki who are affected by hot days and little rain.

Lawn said the quick response justified his concerns and the funding, which will fund social events for farmers, will help mitigate some of the negative feelings many farmers face.

"Farming is an isolated profession," he said.

"And these social events will help farmers know they are not the only ones in the hole."

KEVIN STENT/STUFF National MP Barbara Kuriger was shocked how dry coastal Taranaki has become.

Taranaki Rural Support chair Mike Green expects some farmers will have to write-off the season and come back again next year.

"The dry is unprecedented. We're working in conditions we would work to in March," he said.

"They either need to look after their animals now before they get too thin or they'll end up in the freezing works - that's just the way it is."

Green explained later in the summer season, farmers use supplementary feed. However the early dry spell has forced farmers to dip into this stock early.

And of the 1800 farms in Taranaki, Green said the trust has identified about 700 homes that could potentially have no income.

He said these individuals and families would need assistance from the Ministry of Social Development to get them through the season.

SUE O'DOWD/STUFF Mike Green, chairman of the Taranaki Rural Support Trust, said some farmers will have to write-off the season.

"Calling this early allows us to be proactive."

National Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger said she was shocked to see how dry coastal Taranaki had become.

"There was a point where I could actually see where the rain had stopped.

NIWA NIWA's latest New Zealand Drought Index just days ago shows how dry soil is in the lower North Island where a drought has been declared on Saturday.

"I can only imagine how much worse it will be further south in Pātea and Waverley."

Kuriger's concerns were confirmed by South Taranaki District Mayor Ross Dunlop, who has a farm of his own.

"What is unusual about this drought is it's started so early," he said.

JANE MATTHEWS/STUFF South Taranaki District Mayor Ross Dunlop said his farm has also suffered from a wet winter quickly followed by a dry spell.

"We had such a wet winter but then it really just stopped mid-October."

And for farmers such as Dunlop who also grow crops, "it's sort of a double whammy".

"They're [crops] about half to two-thirds where they should be," he said.

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Rangitikei District Mayor Andy Watson said council would need to look at water restrictions.

"I've been through a lot of droughts and we're prepared. But we still have to get through January and February and that's when it's particularly difficult."

However the South Taranaki District Council has yet to initiate water restrictions.

In order for this to continue, Dunlop said people would need to be wise about water use.

Rangitikei District Mayor Andy Watson said dry weather has plagued the southern part of his district and council would need to look at water restrictions.

"We've gone from one extreme to another," he said.

"It's the worst possible combination. It's looking grim."

While rain has been hard to come by in recent weeks, Metservice meteorologist Tui McInnes said about four-militmetres to 10mm of rain is due to fall on Boxing Day.

"Generally, what we're seeing is most of the regions in question are going to experience some form of rain.

"A cold front was due to move up the country, which was likely to bring some rain to all of the areas that are currently in drought, so of course, that's going to be welcomed by a lot of people to have that."

However the forecasted amount of rain would not be nearly enough to deal to a drought as Dunlop explained having "pockets" of small amounts of rain would not nourish dry pastures.

And some areas would see more rain than others as clouds sweep past coastal towns before releasing any moisture.

"There could be one farmer getting a downpour but their neighbour is left dry."

And with dry weather comes fire risk, Fire Emergency New Zealand principal rural fire officer Nigel Dravitzki said.

While central and North Taranaki are in a restricted fire season, meaning only people with permits may light a fire in open air, Dravitzki said South Taranaki has been moved to a total fire ban.

"Certainly coastal margins and further south in Pātea and Waverley are very, very dry and the risk therefore is very, very high."

Dravitzki has asked people keep aware of fire conditions in their area to reduce chance of harm.

"If you're going to light a fire, you need to know what the risks are and in these conditions it can spread really quickly," he said.