Victorian farmers whose crops were ruined by hail storms could be eligible for financial support, but industry experts are concerned it will not be enough. Yesterday, the Victorian and Commonwealth governments announced concessional loans of up to $250,000 for primary producers in the Greater Shepparton and Yarra Ranges local government areas.
A series of wild hailstorms battered the Goulburn Valley in late 2022 and early 2023, destroying an estimated $120 million worth of fruit. The loans of up to $250,000 are being offered under Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. They are designed to support growers who lost income due to the storms to get re-established, pay for repairs and replacements to damaged equipment, and cover expenses that cannot be met.
According to Fruit Growers Victoria chair Mitchell McNabb, of McNabb Orchards Ardmona, $250,000 was "a start", but that figure would be a drop in the ocean for larger producers. "A lot of people don't recognise the capital requirements in horticulture businesses particularly, compared to some of the other farming sectors," McNabb said.
Source: abc.net.au