Fencing contractors are broadening into firewood, shed-building and other work to stay afloat through rising costs and patchy demand, Fencing Contractors Association president Phil Cornelius says.

The association is meeting in Nelson, following its National Fencing Field Day, which drew high school competitors from Geraldine and local schools.

“A lot of contractors are looking at diversifying, whether it be doing firewood in the winter or building sheds,” Cornelius says.

Work is busy in some regions and sporadic in others, squeezed by fuel prices and material supply, he says.

“There’s still a lot of regions that are still recovering from that and probably will for many years to come,” says Cornelius.

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.