AU: Growcom urges Premier to tackle farm electricity costS

The peak organisation for horticulture in Queensland, Growcom, has welcomed Premier Newman’s comments chastising electricity providers who make large increases to domestic power costs, but has called on him to take action against the Queensland Competition Authority’s recommendations that on-farm electricity use should increase in price by as much as 72 per cent.

Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone said that these enormous price increases were being applied to growers who are already very efficient.

"Growers who drip-feed irrigate at night using Tariff 62 will face a 10 per cent increase in the next 12 months, followed by a 62 per cent increase when Tariff 62 is abolished next year and growers are forced on to Tariff 22," Mr Livingstone said.

"Transition from Farming and Irrigation Tariff 65, which is also being abolished, to Tariff 22 will increase the cost to farmers by 39 per cent over two years. These increases are in addition to those due to the carbon price of approximately ten per cent," he said.

"The Queensland Government has the power to accept or reject the QCA’s recommendations on these tariffs. We call on the Premier to demonstrate that he is as concerned for the cost of living for farmers and their businesses as he is for electricity users in Brisbane by acting to stop these enormous increases to farmers who cannot simply pass these increased costs down the line."

For more information:
Chris Walker
Growcom
Tel: +61 (0)7 3620 3864
Mob: +61 0408 014 843
Fax: +61 07 3620 3880
www.growcom.com.au