Crop loss damage bills mount in Qld

Central Queensland farmers could find out next week if they are eligible for flood
assistance as the damage bill climbs to an estimated $300 million for grain and
cotton losses.
Floodwaters are steadily rising in central and southern Queensland as authorities
assess damage.
Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin and federal Agriculture Minister
Joe Ludwig on Wednesday completed their two-day tour of flood ravaged farmland at
Emerald, Theodore, Moura and Comet.
Mr Mulherin said the pair carried out aerial inspections of damaged cotton and grain
plantations and met with flood-affected farmers.
He told AAP his department would work with Cotton Australia, Agforce and Queensland
Farmers Federation to assess the damage.
He will then report back to Premier Anna Bligh who will consider flood relief.
"The Comet area is probably the worst impacted," he said.
"With cotton in the Emerald area, there's about 2500 hectares of cotton wiped out,
or standing in water."
Mr Mulherin said the accumulative effects of flood damage over the past two years
was taking its toll on farmers' morale.
"One particular gentleman in the Comet region had four flood impacts this year and
this is only the start, the wet season hasn't officially started," he said.
"These people are suffering emotionally and financially.
"But they're getting on with it, they're a resilient group."
He said a decision on disaster relief such as concessional grants and loans for
farmers and small businesses, could come next week.
"We're hoping, but there's a lot of work to be done; we need to (work through) the
data for the... financial implications," he said.
If joint state and federal government natural disaster relief is triggered some
farmers will be eligible for loans of up to $250,000 for repairs, replanting crops
or replacing livestock.
Peak farm group Agforce estimates the past fortnight of heavy downpours has cost
$300 million in destroyed and downgraded grain and fibre crops.
"Although the total damage to farming and infrastructure is hard to define, direct
crop losses are around $100 million including more than $30 million of cotton in the
Central Highlands alone, plus $200 million in lost quality," AgForce president Brent
Finlay said in a statement.
He said primary producers in southeast and southern inland Queensland are also
facing devastating losses.
"AgForce has received reports of individual losses as high as $700,000, with bigger
losses also expected for some producers," he said.
Meanwhile, the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton has risen to 7.55 metres and is expected
to peak at 7.8 metres by the end of the week.
Floodwaters have crept into the yards of about 200 homes in low lying parts of
Rockhampton.
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) flood forecaster Jess Carey said the Fitzroy River was
expected to peak on Thursday or Friday, causing minor to moderate flooding.
"Yaamba (about 30km northwest of Rockhampton) is approaching a peak at the moment.
In the past we have seen flood peaks take about 36 hours to move to Rockhampton," Mr
Carey told AAP.
The weather bureau is also watching the Warrego River at Charleville, which is at
5.17 metres.
But authorities don't expect flooding as the town is protected by levees.
Southeast Queensland was bracing for severe thunderstorms late Wednesday afternoon
with the weather bureau predicting damaging winds, flash flooding and hailstones.
The storm front was expected to hit Brisbane city, Redland, Gold Coast, Logan,
Moreton Bay and Scenic Rim council areas.
A general severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling
Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast and parts of the Central Highlands and
Coalfields, Capricornia and Maranoa and Warrego districts.