The irrigation of market garden areas in Werribee South and Bacchus Marsh needs drastic changes – and they need to happen quickly.
That’s the verdict of a managing director of a Werribee South-based vegetable supplier.
John Said, of Fresh Select, said the irrigation infrastructure was antiquated and ineffective, and failing to upgrade from concrete channels to pipes meant farmers would soon have to stop planting.
“The irrigation system infrastructure needs to be upgraded to some sort of piped system so we don’t lose water,” Mr Said said.
“If nothing is done and the status quo remains, large farmers will be forced to scale down, family operations will scale down.”
Lalor MP Joanne Ryan echoed Mr Said’s sentiments, calling on the federal government to contribute financially to an irrigation upgrade.
“Werribee South is an agricultural area of national significance, producing 75 per cent of Australia’s lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower,” she said.
Ms Ryan said it would cost about $34 million to introduce a piping system.
A spokesman for federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce did not answer
Star Weekly’s specific questions regarding an upgrade, instead saying the government was investing $2.5 million a day in water infrastructure programs.
