Going, going …

Time is running out for Midlands farmers in Tasmania to secure the set price for irrigation water in the Midlands Water Scheme: $1130 per megalitre (ML) for the summer rights and $600 for the winter.
“That cheap winter price is only being offered until Thursday 5 May to farmers living in the region to be serviced by the scheme,” TFGA chief executive Jan Davis warned today.
Using water piped from Arthurs Lake, the Midlands scheme will deliver up to 38,500 megalitres (ML) to an irrigable area of 55,684 ha stretching from Campbell Town to Kempton. It promises to repeat the transformation of agriculture that has already occurred in the Coal River Valley.
The winter rights cover delivery of water for 215 days from March to September. The summer rights are for the 150 days from October to February.
The special Closed Class period for landholders to buy into the scheme at a set price closes on Thursday (May 5). After that, the remaining water will be offered on the open market, available to private investors. The Tasmanian Irrigation Development Board has yet to decide whether the open market allocations will be determined by tender.
“Farmers are notorious for leaving it to the end of the offer period to sign contracts. Those who choose to wait until the Open Class period will have forsaken the chance to but winter water at $600 per ML and the summer-delivered water will not be sold for anything less than $1,130 per ML.
“The opportunity to take up winter rights at the $600 price expires on Thursday and is exclusive to local farmers.”
The TIDB says there has been strong interest in the allocations. It has set a take-up threshold of nearly 70 per cent for the scheme to be able to proceed.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for Midlands farmers,” Ms Davis said.
“Forget about how your dams are looking at the moment; just think back a year or two at the strife you were in. It needn’t happen again.”
Jan Davis http://www.tfga.com.au/