Australians, get ready for a bumpy ride in the dairy aisle. The latest buzz is all about milk and butter prices shooting through the roof, leaving consumers to feel the pinch. Why? Well, it seems that four out of five milk-producing farmers across the nation are having a tough time recovering from various natural disasters.
Picture this: Joe Bradley, president of EastAUSMilk, paints a grim picture as he warns,
“I think the whole eastern seaboard is going to feel the shortage of milk and dairy products one way or the other. There’s no ifs or buts; it’s a disaster. Prices have to rise.”
The recent floods in New South Wales (NSW) have only added fuel to the fire for struggling dairy farmers nationwide. They were already wrestling with feed shortages, hay scarcity, severe droughts in Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania – you name it. To make matters worse, some were still picking up the pieces after Cyclone Alfred wreaked havoc.
According to reports from meteorologists at the Bureau of Meteorology, there’s a “severe deficiency
” of rainfall exacerbating an already dire situation for these farmers. Imagine facing once-in-a-century droughts and enduring the driest 14 months on record – that’s enough to make anyone lose sleep.
As if things weren’t bad enough already, many farmers are contemplating leaving the dairy industry altogether post-NSW floods. Bradley shared heartbreaking stories saying farms were literally washed away along with cattle and homes inundated. It’s nothing short of a catastrophe wiping out entire livelihoods overnight.
But here’s where things take an interesting turn – Bradley has accused the NSW government of dragging their feet on declaring a “Category D” disaster which would fast-track recovery support for affected farmers. He emphasizes that action needs to be taken promptly without bureaucratic red tape hindering relief efforts.
On another front is Michael Hampson from Norco who echoes similar sentiments urging authorities to recognize these calamities as Category D disasters too. He stresses on how farms could be staring at costs amounting to millions while pleading for urgent assistance amidst such distressing times.
Hampson points out a bitter reality awaiting consumers – “
Milk, cheese, butter…all dairy products will see inflation over the next three to six months.” This means brace yourselves for empty wallets when buying your favorite dairy treats off store shelves.
Speaking about global impacts on local markets is Michael Harvey from Rabobank who highlights how fluctuations in global commodity prices can trickle down affecting domestic produce like butter which might see price hikes due to soaring global market rates.
Meanwhile Eliza Redfern from Dairy Australia predicts retailers like Coles and Woolworths will push back against rising farmgate milk prices slated for July 1st onwards leading manufacturers and processors into tight spots trying not absorb all cost increases themselves amidst fierce competition driving retail prices down.
In conclusion – The storm clouds are gathering over Australia’s dairies as producers struggle under mounting pressures from natural calamities and global market forces influencing local produce pricing dynamics dramatically impacting both ends – consumers feeling burdened by escalating costs while farmers face financial ruin unless swift assistance arrives soon.
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