Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Farmers pay for heatwave

Chris Hammer and Chee Chee Leung, March 18, The Age

THE record-breaking heatwave across south-eastern Australia is predicted to ease today, but farmers are already counting the cost in the millions of dollars.

Temperatures in Adelaide hit 40.5 degrees yesterday, the 15th straight day they have soared above 35 degrees.

The heat has had a devastating effect on South Australia's farming sector and raised serious doubts about the sustainability of irrigation in the lower Murray River. "It's fair to say it's costing many millions of dollars a day, and the damage bill will get higher the longer it continues," South Australian Farmers Federation president Wayne Cornish said.

Mr Cornish said apple and pear growers had suffered severe damage from heat and wind.

"Most crops, like soft vegetables, can tolerate three or four days of extreme temperatures, but that's about the limit," Mr Cornish said.

The situation is at its most severe in the final reaches of the Murray River, including Lake Alexandrina, where water levels are so low even farmers with irrigation rights are finding their pumps left high and dry.

"Certainly because of the low levels and because of salinity, I don't know how many irrigators are using that water. I know some are carting in water because it's too salty for stock and plants," said Wendy Craik, chief executive of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.

Di Davidson, a grape grower in the Langhorne Creek region beside Lake Alexandrina, said wine grape yields had fallen by half or more in just a week.

"For many producers, it's been the difference between making a reasonable amount of money and failing to break even," she said. "I've had calls from people who have decided not to pick any more because it's not worth it."

In Melbourne, a top of 38.4 degrees yesterday helped bring the state's peak energy demand to a record high. A maximum of 33 degrees is forecast today.

The city maximum is then expected to remain in the 20s from tomorrow until at least Easter Monday, with a few showers but no significant rainfall.

Melbourne is also in with a chance to break the 68-year-old record for its hottest March.

The city is averaging 30.7 degrees for the month, and the record is 28.9 degrees. "It's a tough record to break, and the fact that we're in a position to possibly break it is an indication of an exceptional month," said Blair Trewin, climatologist at the weather bureau's National Climate Centre.

Across Victoria, energy demand peaked at 9818 megawatts yesterday in the half hour to 5pm, breaking the record set last Friday of 9514 megawatts.

The Metropolitan Ambulance Service has received 15 calls for heat stress over the past four days.

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