As we all know, Tropical Cyclone Debbie has had a significant impact on north, central and south-east Queensland.
More than $100 million of vegetables have been lost in the Bowen and Whitsunday region alone, with all produce in the ground destroyed.
This represents about 20 per cent of the region’s seasonal output.
The impact on mango growers is still being assessed and is expected to be significant, with damaged crops taking three to five years to recover and reach full production maturity.
There have also been crop losses and damage to farms and infrastructure across the Scenic Rim, Logan and Lockyer Valley, with the extent of that damage also being assessed.
At time of print, Rockhampton growers are also bracing for heavy flooding, and we will assess the impact of that in the days to come.
Our thoughts are with the people in the midst of major clean-up efforts, many of them having gone days without power or the means to communicate properly with the outside world.
Disaster recovery funding will be key in helping people in hard-hit regions get back on their feet.
Growcom is phoning and emailing its members in affected areas but the faster we can get this information the faster we can lobby for support.
To ensure we get the best disaster relief, it is critical we get as much information as possible. We urge growers in affected regions to complete our disaster damage assessment form at www.growcom.com.au/damage-estimate/ or by phoning Growcom on (07) 3620 3844.
We are also encouraging affected growers to send photos of damage to admin@growcom.com.au with information on the farm where they were taken.
Finally, we urge everyone to support our Queensland farmers by continuing to buy their produce in the months ahead, even if prices go up.
