By Callum Ludwig
Primary producers in the Yarra Ranges Local Government Area (LGA) may be eligible for concessional loans of up to $250,000 to support them if they were affected by a hailstorm on 23 March this year.
The October floods were also kept in mind, with the hailstorm possibly the second blow for local agribusinesses.
A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson confirmed showers and thunderstorms, some severe, impacted much of Victoria on 23 March, with reports of flash flooding, large hail, and some tree damage across parts of the state.
“The Bureau reported an intense thunderstorm at Mooroopna at 1.30pm on 23 March with large hail. The storm brought trees down and resulted in power outages,” they said.
“Depending on the time of year, hail can damage foliage, flowers, stems, branches and fruit. Fruit had set late this year, due to cool weather, with fruit such as Granny Smith and Pink Lady Apples still on the trees.”
Climate change has been pointed to as a factor of the severe hailstorms seen recently, noted in The Bureau’s State of the Climate 2022 Report.
The Bureau spokesperson said heavy rainfall – and any associated hail – is projected to become more intense under climate change.
“For the agricultural sector, netting is the main mitigation technique used to protect crops from hail damage. Portable netting should be moved to cover crops which are at higher risk of damage,” they said.
“Infrastructure and equipment, where possible, should be covered or moved undercover.”
In the hardest-hit hailstorm areas such as Shepparton, hail even managed to rip through some netting.
Victorian Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney MP said she was pleased to announce this financial support for hard-hit horticultural growers who have felt the full impact of storms since November.
“This financial support recognises the significant impact that the recent storms and floods have had on many in the horticultural sector,” she said.
“This additional provision of a concessional loan of up to $250,000 to eligible growers recognises the impacts sustained by many in this sector in the past six months and acknowledges the need to support our fruit and vegetable growers.”
Delivered by the Victorian Government, the initiative is jointly funded by the state and federal governments through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said significant infrastructure damage was sustained, including orchard netting and poles.
“Unfortunately for this event, hail netting offered limited protection given the size of the hail and the direction of the storm,” he said.
“As well as help for farmers, there are also other forms of disaster assistance available for this event, including debris-removal help for residents, and assistance for local councils to fix up roads and public assets.”
The loans are intended to support businesses to bounce back into operation, restore or replace assets that were damaged by the weather event or cover costs of capital expenses that may have been affected by a loss of income.
Reports on the hailstorm at the time detailed the impact of hail particularly in the Goulburn Valley. Primary producers in the Yarra Ranges must be able to provide evidence of damage to be eligible for the loan.
“Impacts to community infrastructure in the area were reported and as a result, the Yarra Ranges LGA is eligible for funding under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements,” an Agriculture Victoria spokesperson said.
For more information on the new concessional loans and the range of financial support measures available for the October 2022 to 13 January 2023 floods and storms visit Rural Finance at www.ruralfinance.com.au or call 1800 260 425.
