Australian fruit farmers promised help

Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has promised an immediate $4.9 million assistance package for frost-struck Goulburn Valley fruit farmers. Hundreds of farmers face ruin after a snap frost triggered an estimated $100 million losses worth of stonefruit and pear crops. But the damage bill could rise as high as $500 million from the flow-on effect to the local economy.

The lion’s share of the money - $4.3 million - will go to the cost of pumping water from the Waranga Basin reservoir, near Rushworth. Other help - also targeted farmers affected by drought - will include loan and council rates subsidies; $350,000 for financial counselling for Goulburn Valley fruit packing sheds, transporters and other fruit industry businesses; $150,000 for agronomic support, including management of damaged trees; and $120,000 for specialist financial counselling for farmers with poor English.

Mr Bracks made the announcement while touring the region with Treasurer John Brumby and Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron today. “The Goulburn Valley is the foodbowl of Victoria and a significant contributor to the State’s economy,” Mr Bracks said.

“It’s important that appropriate support be provided to farmers who’ve been affected by frost and drought to help them deal with the immediate crisis and also plan for the future.” The state continues to discuss “exceptional circumstances” assistance with the help of the Commonwealth, which would include Centrelink support payments.

Mr Bracks said the provision of $4.3 million to G-MW for the pumping of the ‘dead water’ in Waranga Basin would mean that the cost would not be borne by water users. Mr Cameron said specialist help for farmers could include advice about chemical treatment and heavy pruning of trees by farmers to reduce costs of maintaining trees with little or no fruit.

Mr Bracks made the announcement this morning at the East Shepparton orchard owned by Andrew Prentice, who described the week's frosts as devastating. "A lot of growers are at the end of their tether," Mr Prentice told reporters. "The crop that is gone now, we would have been picking next January to February, this really means no income for us for 18 months." Mr Prentice said the government announced package was "a good start".

"We're always pleased to hear there is some assistance coming," he said. "What is troubling is the lack of detail on helping to pay to keep our people employed, because that's where we're going to struggle." The Goulburn Valley produces around 300,000 tonnes of fruit a year, as Australia's premier fruitgrowing district.

This accounts for 80 per cent of Australia's pears, 35 per cent of all stone fruit and 25 per cent of the nation's apples. Estimates of the damage range from 100 per cent losses on some farms through to about 50 per cent.

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