The Victorian Government has called for Commonwealth assistance for Sunraysia growers whose properties were battered by severe storms late last year.

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed he wrote to Prime Minister Tony Abbott requesting Victorian growers be given access to Category C assistance from the Commonwealth for a hailstorm that hit areas such as Mildura, Redcliffs and Merbein on December 3. He said if NSW growers succeeded in their campaign for grants to help pay for a massive clean-up and repair operation in the wake of a storm on November 22, then Victorian growers deserved the same for their storm.

In November farms spanning from Yelta on the Victorian side of the border to Gol Gol — a small town on the NSW side of the Murray River, 10km north of Mildura, were granted access to Agricultural Natural Disaster Relief Assistance after the “tornado-like” storm was declared a natural disaster two weeks after the event.

NSW and Commonwealth governments are assessing growers’ eligibility to receive grants under Commonwealth Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery arrangements.

On December 3 some Victorian growers were wiped out and others lost between 30 and 80 per cent of their crops. The two storms combined wiped out an estimated 558ha of horticultural crops — including table grapes (400ha), wine grapes (132ha), dried fruit (18ha) and citrus (9ha). The NSW “tornado” caused $30 million of damage and the Victorian hailstorm racked up a $9 million damage bill.

Mr Andrews said he was committed to helping Victorian growers get back on their feet after the Sunraysia storm and would fight for Category C assistance.

Both NSW and Victorian state governments have already given growers’ access to low interest loans — up to $130,000 in NSW and up to $200,000 in Victoria.

Source - http://www.freshplaza.com