Govt should ‘get behind’ farmers

Press, 25 September 1987, Page 14

Govt should ‘get behind’ farmers

The Government’s decision to sharply increase water charges on the Waiau irrigation scheme would prevent the scheme reaching its full potential, believes Mr Lindsay Fleming, who farms 291 ha, of which 90 per cent is already irrigated.

The Waiau scheme was well designed, had good supplies of water and had been well installed, said Mr Fleming. If the Government was serious about completing the scheme it would get behind farmers rather than putting up the water charges. The Government should realise that the benefit to the nation from increased

production off the irrigated land was “its pound of flesh” for assisting irrigation development.

The increased water charges would put farmers under further financial pressure and prevent them maximising the benefits from irrigation. The arrival of irrigation water on the Fleming farm in 1981 had a magnificent response on pasture growth. Paddocks no longer shrivelled up in a drought.

Mr Fleming has carried out a continuous development programme of borderdyking on his farm since the irrigation scheme was started.

Only 25ha remains to

be borderdyked and although the increased water charges would put severe financial pressure on the farm, Mr Fleming is keen to complete the development. The undeveloped area was subject to flooding from the scheme’s run-off and needed borderdyking to tidy it up and make it more manageable. Under the new level of water charges, Mr Fleming’s annual water charge bill will rise from $3BOO to $17,700.