❓ Mr. Hunter questions the Premier on the government's actions to secure fertiliser supply for farmers amidst supply chain pressures. The Premier outlines measures taken, including engaging with suppliers, increasing road train capacity, and addressing fuel security concerns.
AnsweredQoN 198Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Fertiliser supply
198. Mr Lachlan Hunter to
the Premier:
I refer to the growing
concerns from the agricultural industry that the fertiliser supply in Western
Australia is insufficient as farmers commence their broadacre seeding and to
the government's focus on fuel through the industry support working group. For
weeks the opposition has warned that the supply chain pressures extend beyond
fuel. What is the industry support working group doing right now to secure
fertiliser supply so that farmers can get their crops in the ground?
198. Mr Lachlan Hunter to
the Premier:
I refer to the growing
concerns from the agricultural industry that the fertiliser supply in Western
Australia is insufficient as farmers commence their broadacre seeding and to
the government's focus on fuel through the industry support working group. For
weeks the opposition has warned that the supply chain pressures extend beyond
fuel. What is the industry support working group doing right now to secure
fertiliser supply so that farmers can get their crops in the ground?
AnswerView source ↗
We all know that many farmers face uncertain, challenging
and anxious times, and that is one of the reasons we immediately moved to
increase and strengthen the distribution supply chains to make sure that they can
get the diesel and fuel they need so that they can power their machinery to get
seed into the ground. We have always known, and we have said it on many
occasions, that fertiliser supply constraints are also a source of anxiety for
the farming community today. The Middle East conflict has significantly
disrupted shipping movements through critical transit points for the global
fertiliser trade. Minister Jarvis continues to engage with fertiliser suppliers
regarding the issues that they are facing from those conflicts. Suppliers have
advised that there is currently sufficient supply in the market for broadacre
farmers to commence seeding. The minister will continue to engage with the
sector to see what supports the government can provide to ensure confidence for
farmers as they head into the seeding season.
We have also done
other measures to make sure that we continue to support farmers, industry and
communities in regional WA, including permitting road trains to carry heavier
loads to priority regional areas from 16 March. This allows 27.5-metre and
36.5-metre road trains to transport up to an additional 10 tonnes per load
if they are carrying petrol, diesel and/or fertiliser to the Goldfields, South
West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt. We announced on 7 April that we will
permit 53.5-metre triple-trailer road trains to travel along Great Northern
Highway between Wubin and Muchea to help get more goods to regional WA faster.
Those decisions were made by the government's fuel industry operations group,
formed in response to the concerns raised about fuel security amid the
conflict. It is about working together with industry, the community and the
whole of the state of Western Australia to meet the challenges as a result of
the conflict in the Middle East.
and anxious times, and that is one of the reasons we immediately moved to
increase and strengthen the distribution supply chains to make sure that they can
get the diesel and fuel they need so that they can power their machinery to get
seed into the ground. We have always known, and we have said it on many
occasions, that fertiliser supply constraints are also a source of anxiety for
the farming community today. The Middle East conflict has significantly
disrupted shipping movements through critical transit points for the global
fertiliser trade. Minister Jarvis continues to engage with fertiliser suppliers
regarding the issues that they are facing from those conflicts. Suppliers have
advised that there is currently sufficient supply in the market for broadacre
farmers to commence seeding. The minister will continue to engage with the
sector to see what supports the government can provide to ensure confidence for
farmers as they head into the seeding season.
We have also done
other measures to make sure that we continue to support farmers, industry and
communities in regional WA, including permitting road trains to carry heavier
loads to priority regional areas from 16 March. This allows 27.5-metre and
36.5-metre road trains to transport up to an additional 10 tonnes per load
if they are carrying petrol, diesel and/or fertiliser to the Goldfields, South
West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt. We announced on 7 April that we will
permit 53.5-metre triple-trailer road trains to travel along Great Northern
Highway between Wubin and Muchea to help get more goods to regional WA faster.
Those decisions were made by the government's fuel industry operations group,
formed in response to the concerns raised about fuel security amid the
conflict. It is about working together with industry, the community and the
whole of the state of Western Australia to meet the challenges as a result of
the conflict in the Middle East.
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