Victorian Farmers Federation’s Grains Group has called for the State Government to extend the Essential Services Commission’s oversight of port rents to include access and pricing.

It believes such a move would help address surging port infrastructure charges at the Port of Melbourne.

Infrastructure charges at the port have increased by more than 2000 percent in the past two years and port operator DP World recently announced it would further increase infrastructure charges again next year.

VFF Grains Group president Ashley Fraser said the skyrocketing charges were hitting farmers hard.

“Agricultural goods make up approximately 43 percent of all containerised exports from the Port of Melbourne,” he said.

“When stevedores hike up prices, the burden is passed up the supply chain and it is ultimately farmers who bear the brunt of it. We can’t just pass these costs onto consumers.”

Mr Fraser said estimates were that port infrastructure charges cost the average farmer producing export hay about $8000 a year in lost revenue.

The entire November 27, 2019 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire November 27, 2019 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!