Fed: Murray-Darling Basin - factbox

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2007
Fed: Murray-Darling Basin - factbox

Irrigators in the Murray-Darling Basin face having water allocations cut completely
in 2007-08 unless there is heavy rain in the next six weeks.



What the Murray-Darling Basin means to Australia:

* It is Australia's most important agricultural region, accounting for about 34 per
cent of the nation's gross value in agricultural production, worth up to $7 billion.

* It contains 75 per cent of Australia's irrigated crops and pastures.

* Value of irrigated production from basin estimated at $3-$4 billion at the farm gate,
and four times that after processing.

* Key industries are dairy, cotton, rice and horticulture, in particular viticulture.

* Provides 96 per cent of Australia's cotton.

* In the 1996 census, basin had a population of 1.9 million.



Source: Murray Darling Basin Commission - estimates only.

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KEYWORD: WATER BASIN FACTBOX

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