MEDIA RELEASE

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on August 15th confirms calculations published four months ago by Fair Water Use (Australia) indicating that rice and cotton cultivation are indeed the most water-profligate agricultural activities undertaken in the Murray-Darling Basin. 

In 2005-6, to create one dollar of product, the cotton sector consumed 1828 litres of Murray-Darling water, whilst rice growers sucked-up a staggering 4569 litres. This compared to a mere 228 litres required to produce non-rice grains, 371 for non-grape fruit and 662 for grapes. Dairying, which has come under the spotlight in recent times, required 1098 litres to generate one dollar of product: however this is largely destined for the refrigerators of Australia, as opposed to the export-driven production of cotton and rice.

The future of the Basin is precariously poised.  Australia can ill-afford to ship off-shore the life-blood of the Murray-Darling in water-wasteful products such as cotton and rice. Neither can the rice industry seek to condone its activities by claiming that it must help feed the world, as it produces a tiny 0.2% of the global crop.   

Even in the midst of this water-crisis, producers will use whatever water they can access legally to grow whatever crops will reap most profit.  Australia cannot leave the dwindling resource that is Murray-Darling water open to the cut-throat demands of market forces. 

The root cause of the problem, rampant over-allocation, must be addressed, but is unlikely to be resolved in time to prevent the demise of the Murray-Darling. Fair Water Use calls upon the Federal Government to apply a range of urgent short- and medium-term treatments: