NSW & SA flood damage adding up for farmers
Both the New South Wales and South Australian Departments of Primary Industries (DPI) are urging primary producers to report all damage from the recent flood events that have hid both states.
NSW floods
The NSW DPI State Emergency Coordinator, Simon Oliver, said extensive aerial surveillance continues across the vast area of flooded agricultural land in the State’s central west.
“Over 1.3 million hectares of land is currently under water, and it is only expected to increase as the catchments are saturated and the rain continues,” he said.
“We have conducted aerial mustering and fodder drops to stranded livestock, and these are expected to increase due to the prolonged flood conditions; many areas are expected to remain inundated for several weeks,” he stated.
NSW Local Land Services Executive Manager Tim Ferraro said farmers should report all damage after the region was declared a natural disaster area last week.
“Farmers should report all flood-related damage including stock and fodder losses, and damage to crops, pastures, fencing and other farm infrastructure to their Local Land Services office on 1300 795 299,” he said.
SA floods
Meanwhile in South Australia, the SA DPI has established a hotline for primary producers impacted by flooding in the state after last week’s significant storm activity.
The Gawler River flood has had the most impact on primary producers with an estimated 1000 hectare under flood in the Northern Adelaide Plains horticulture region.
“While the wet weather is still ongoing, ascertaining the full impact of the events over recent days for the state’s primary producers is still not yet clear but the indications are that the horticulture areas of the Northern Adelaide plains are the most impacted,” said SA Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Leon Bignell.
“Estimates of losses in that area are between $20-30m, although with water still high in the area it is likely to be a few more days until the total extent of the devastation is known.The advice we are receiving is that it will take six months for this region to recover with ongoing challenges including seed volumes to resew crops, availability of fungicide to treat surviving crops, and increased weed and insect damage,” Minister Bignell said.
