Southwest Victoria endures green drought and hay shortages

Hay prices are soaring and the scramble for fodder has no sign of abating. See how much you should be paying for your next truckload.

As southwest Victoria gasps its way through a green drought, the phrase “clutching at straws” has been given added resonance.

Four and five-year-old straw bales — usually relegated to the back of the pack in favour of fresher farm fodder — are gaining value like the agricultural equivalent of Penfolds Grange.

Father-and-son trucking team Eddie White senior and junior have never seen a green drought as pervasive during their five decades carting hay in the state’s west.

Eddie Jnr says round cereal bales that were retailing at $50 or $60 not long ago are now past the $100 a bale mark.

“We’ve seen green droughts before but this would have to be one of the worst,” he said.

“Things are desperate and older bales are selling stronger than ever. Four or five-year-old bales that (cattle or sheep) would just pick at, now they’re happy to eat it because the grass isn’t growing.

“Everyone talks about southwest Victoria but it’s arguably worse just across the border in South Australia — I was over Kingston/Lucindale way the other day and there’s zero growth.”

Located just outside Warrnambool, the Allansford-based trucker said while most of southwest Victoria was struggling, some districts have been spared to a degree.

“If you look at Nullawarre, Peterborough way, they had one good night of rain a month or so ago and it’s saved them from the worst of the green drought. Travel 25km north or west and there’s just no growth. It’s a lottery.”