The Apple Club Newsletter, Spring 2007, Page 2

The Murray-Darling river system covers one-seventh of the Australian land mass and provides water for the most significant agricultural area in Australia. Most of the river basin is flat, and receives little enough rainfall; usually less than half of what typically falls in the driest parts of Ireland annually, and the rain that does occur usually falls in winter. For this reason, dams were built on the river system, so that water could be provided for usage during the long and dry summer months.
The river basin has much of Australia's most productive farmland, and produces 40% of the nation's food, including fruit crops such as citrus, apples, pears, plums and grapes. In all, about 55,000 farmers tend the land and earn a living in the Murray Darling river basin.
Since November 2006, the late-winter to mid-spring rainfalls have failed. In general, the average rainfall has been the lowest on record since 1900, and the situation has been worsened by temperatures being the highest on record since the 1950's. As a result, most Australian mainland capital cities are experiencing a major water crisis with less than 50% of water storages remaining, and water restrictions applying.
Agricultural production has been badly affected. Australia's cotton production area has fallen to one third of normal, and the crop has been half its usual size for three of the past five years, resulting is hardship for the 10,000 people employed in the cotton industry.
In early 2007, senior weather forecasters had hoped that the drought might ease along the east coast with a return to average rainfall from late February 2007. Forecasters suggested that the El Niño effect that had been rampant during 2006 and 2007 was ending. However very little rain has fallen since then and April 2007 has become the second driest on record.
Once again above average temperatures have been recorded, particularly in the country's south east, and unhappily, there is no indication of a return to above average or even average rainfall in the near future.
Climate experts are attributing the lack of rainfall to global warming, and the models show that, as global temperatures continue to rise, Australia will be one of the first countries affected by droughts such as this one. These experts warn that similar climatic catastrophes will become more common throughout the World, unless radical action on greenhouse gas emissions is taken in the immediate future.
Prime Minister John Howard announced on April 19th last that unless substantial rain occurs in the next six weeks no water will be allocated to irrigators such as farmers and growers in the Murray-Darling basin for the coming year. According to Doug Meill of the irrigators' council, if
the farmers get no water allocation: "you are talking about the decimation, completely, of our wine grapes, our horticultural industries, our stone fruits, citrus, and even olives. Farmers, their crops and
animals simply will not survive the rigours of a long, hot, dry summer".
Everyone agrees that the result of this would be catastrophic for farmers and the economy in general. The Australian Prime Minister has urged Australians to "pray for rain".

Newsletter Spring 2007		page 2 of 4

Dramatic drought affects Australian fruit growers.