THERE is scope for the horticulture netting program to provide funding to grape growers, says federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud, who has called on the Victorian Government to expand the program to cover the viticulture sector.
The Federal Government announced in December it was providing $11.2 million in funding to the Horticulture Netting Program.
The program is administered by the Victorian Government and provides up to 50 per cent of costs to eligible producers to install new, fixed horticultural netting up to a value of $150,000.
Horticulture netting has been found to reduce water usage by up to 30 per cent and can protect crops from damage caused by birds.
The federal funding supports an expansion of the program, which previously applied only to apple and pear producers, to include all horticulture groups except wine grapes.
But Mr Littleproud said he hoped the Victorian Government would accept an invitation to expand the scope of the program further, allowing wine grape growers to receive funding.
“We think there is scope to expand it beyond just standing netting and looking at throw netting,” Mr Littleproud said.
“(Throw netting is) put on the side of tractor, and it rolls over and you attach it underneath the vine, and it protects vines from birds. The farmer pulls it off within a year they store it, and they can reuse it.”
He said he had spoken to the Victorian Government and hoped they would “accept my request to extend the program”.
“I understand that that obviously opens up the scope … and means some more complexity for them in the assessment,” Mr Littleproud said.
“But now that we’ve established this already in the first phase, I don’t think we’re asking to reinvent the wheel.”
Agriculture Victoria said 55 grant agreements were issued from the $4.67 million Commonwealth-funded scheme, but no applications had been received from Sunraysia producers.
Sunraysia Daily understands applications for the expanded program have not yet opened but were unlikely to extend to wine grape producers.
