Public appeal as Adelaide’s northern vegetable growers cop $150m storms hit
STORM damage has caused up to $150 million devastation for growers in Adelaide’s north — now there’s an appeal for the state to help them, and to keep us eating local food.
DAMAGE by the spring storms across the state have caused up to $150 million devastation across 1500ha in Adelaide’s north.
Latest estimates show up to $150 million damage was caused as 1500ha of vegetable farms were submerged under water in the Northern Adelaide Plains, after the Gawler River burst its banks following wild weather last week.
However, growers warn the full extent of the damage will remain unknown for days.
SA Produce Market marketing and business development manager Nadia Schutt said initial damage estimates reached $30 to $50 million but were likely to rise substantially.
“We’ve lost a significant number of crops,’ she said.
“There were crops being readied to be planted.”
Angelo Demasi from the South Australian Produce Market said recovery from the freak weather event was expected to take at least six months “with many challenges surrounding seed volumes to resew crops, management for surviving crops, weed and insect damage as well as widespread infrastructure damage”.
Mr Demasi said it was a priority to buy seedlings to “assist in re-establishing viable crops for the future (and) ensuring all affected producers get back on track as soon as possible”.
South Australian Produce Market, in partnership with Foodbank SA, the Horticultural Coalition of SA and AusVeg SA, are running a sector-wide industry appeal through Foodbank’s charitable entity and website to help affected growers.
The South Australian Produce Market, AusVeg SA and other supporters have contributed $22,000 to kick off the fund.
AusVeg SA State Manager Jordan Brooke-Barnett said 30 to 50 growers were badly affected in the Northern Adelaide Plains, at a cost of about $1 million each.
These included growers of parsnips, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, capsicum and eggplants.
“We want consumers to keep eating SA produce,” Mr Brooke-Barnett said.
“You might have a few blemishes on your cucumber but your cucumber is still homegrown.
“We really need to keep these jobs here. Especially when you’ve got (carmaker) Holden leaving the state.”
The SA Produce Market trades more than 250,000 tonnes of fresh produce between 45 wholesalers, 60 growers and hundreds of retail operators each year, worth an estimated wholesale value of $590 million.
Produce losses from floods across the Adelaide Plains region alone were estimated on Monday to be $20 to $30 million, as the total extent of damage statewide from the storms appeared set to reach into the hundreds of millions.
Many say the damage to the food bowl was a disaster waiting to happen and could have been avoided, or at least considerably reduced, if flood mitigation works in the Gawler River catchment had been carried out.
The wipe out to one of the state’s most prolific salad and vegetable growing regions is also expected to drive prices up for consumers.
To donate, visit www.foodbanksa.org.au/donate-online