Tasmania is well on the way to becoming the food bowl of the nation, according to the state’s Premier – David Bartlett.

Mr Bartlett said the Apple Isle was intent on using their resources more efficiently to capitalise on some of the advantages the state has for producing food. This will see the pledge of more water to boost food reserves.

“In order to achieve our strategy to make Tasmania the food bowl of the nation today I commit to a bold new goal – we will deliver more than 210,000 additional megalitres of water per annum for irrigation by 2014,” he advised. “That is the equivalent of over 210,000 olympic swimming pools worth of water each and every year.”

Mr Bartlett said the management of scarce water resources was one of the three great global imperatives that will dominate the 21st century.

“A strong Tasmania means making the most of our natural advantage when it comes to water,” he suggested. “While we constitute about one and a half percent of the Australian landmass we receive 12% of this continent’s rainfall.”

Mr Bartlett said the Government was implementing irrigation schemes worth $400 million that will help Tasmania become the food bowl of the nation.

Share