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Cost blow-out a gamble for farmers
13 Mar 2008
Higher prices for fuel, fertilisers, chemicals, transport, labour and interest rates have seen the costs in some farm budgets doubled according to WAFarmers president Trevor De Landgrafft. At the moment high prices for grains and oilseeds outweigh the additional input costs but problems in production or a down-turn in commodity prices could hit heavily indebted farmers hard. "We expect that most of Australia is going to attempt to put in a big crop, but if the seasons are bad or if the grain price slips, there will be a lot of farmers in a lot of trouble," Mr De Landgrafft said. Some phosphate based fertiliser prices have doubled over the last eighteen months and fuel costs are around $28-$30 per hectare compared with a three-year average of about $22.
The West Australian, 13/3/2008
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