Farmers across north-east Victoria and the Goulburn Valley say post-flood investment in roads and infrastructure is crucial after the wet spring. According to the Victorian Farmers Federation, there is cautious optimism following improved weather conditions after a flood-ravaged spring, but a number of challenges are still remaining.
Fruit growers across the regions are dealing with the impacts of recent flooding as significant rainfall made accessing orchards difficult. Fruit Growers Victoria chair Mitchell McNab said several recent hail storms across the Goulburn Valley, including on Melbourne Cup day, had impacted growers significantly. "There's probably a 20 to 30 per cent decrease in production due to the hail event alone, let alone some of the other pest and disease issues that are starting to slowly show a little bit here and there," he said.
Last month, Rural Councils Victoria called on the state government to establish a dedicated fund to repair damaged assets and roads which could withstand future natural disasters. RCV chair Mary-Ann Brown said with many rural councils reliant on rates and grants as sources of income, state or federal government support was crucial.
Source: abc.net.au