Grain Producers South Australia has endorsed the State Government's financial relief package for producers battling dry conditions in what has been a lean year for many in the industry.
Many agricultural workers in the state have had to endure a further financial blow in recent weeks after already weathering challenging conditions throughout much of the year with rain events disrupting the current harvest period.
Brad Perry, the CEO of Grain Producers South Australia, recently appeared on the Country Viewpoint program to provide listeners with an overview as to why his peak body is endorsing the latest show of support for the industry from the government.
"We've been working with the Government and the Minister for Primary Industries (Clare Scriven) on drought support, we've been part of regional roundtables right across the state that the Government's organised and also the State Government's Drought Advisory Committee - we've been feeding in what we were hoping to see as part of the drought package and really welcome what was announced for the important support that's there," Perry said.
"I think the only thing that really is missing is for those that don't have any cash flow that couldn't get a crop up and helping with things like seed for next season.
"We certainly welcome things like the infrastructure grant and particularly being at 25% - I think that's a real positive, so we can have more growers able to access that and things like community grants for events, mean that some money can be injected back into those small businesses that are struggling, which are a really important part of the grain production industry as well.
Perry was also asked to elaborate on how producers were battling conditions and challenges in different regions across the state.
He told listeners producers had largely survived the dry conditions and that those working in the production of lentils had profited particularly well.
"There's some areas that have done okay, particularly given that it was the lowest rainfall on record in many regions and then there's other areas where there just hasn't been a crop emerge, so it's sort of very different depending on where you look in different regions," Perry said.
"I think it's been positive to see that lentils have done pretty well given there were so many lentils planted this season.
"They've sort of survived the drier conditions quite well in most regions, so that's a positive I think."
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