Water commission angers Murray-Darling irrigators

Tuesday, 17/07/2007

Irrigators are angry at plans by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to buy 20 gigalitres of water for the environment as the farm sector faces tough shortages.

The commission has been directed by the Basin's Ministerial Council to buy the water as part of efforts to deliver 500 gigalitres to six sites along the Murray River by 2009.

First Mildura Irrigation Trust's Jim Belbin says it will push up market prices for farmers trying to buy more water.

"They're going into the market for a very short period of time and during that particular period of time they'll be forcing the price of permanently traded water up, which will impact on anybody else who is wanting to buy water," he said.

The Murray-Darling Basin Commission says it is only a small amount of water and will not hurt farmers because the water will not be delivered while it is not available.

And the Federal Assistant Water Minister John Cobb says it will not affect farmer's access to water this year.

"They're going into the market for a very short period of time and during that particular period of time they'll be forcing the price of permanently traded water up, which will impact on anybody else who is wanting to buy water," he said.