Cane, citrus and lucerne crops hit by frost in Queensland's Wide Bay Burnett region

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-31/queensland-frosty-crops/5638522

July 31, 2014 at 10:49 AM

Chair of Isis Canegrowers Joe Russo says about 15 per cent of the crop has been severely damaged by frost in the Wallaville area, which hit the week before crushing.

"It's killing the heart of the top and it's just going to go down into the stalk and what happens is the sugar content deteriorates and cane can be condemned."

Many of the 70 citrus growers in the Wide Bay Burnett have been touched by frost to varying degrees.

Tim Ulcoq lost about 5 per cent of the production value of his 9,000-tree mandarin orchard at Gayndah.

He says the grass temperature dropped to -7 degrees two weeks ago, destroying a young block of late season imperials.

"Basically, it just freezes them (the fruit) so that once they thaw out, the cells just burst and the fruit is no good."

The frost also killed some trees.

Mr Ulcoq says even though it accounts for a small portion of his farm, it still makes a difference in what is a tight citrus industry.

Grass, pasture and cereal crops have also bore the brunt of the chilly conditions.

Craig Kapernick, who farms hay and lucerne at Mondure, west of Murgon, says frost has impacted him in a couple of ways.

"There was one morning when we'd been irrigating through the night, and anything that was wet that next morning, it all died, or certainly was cut back, plus with our irrigation, we've had a few broken pipes because of water freezing."

The frosty mornings have also prevented some cereal crops in the region from producing seed.

And according to Bureau of Meteorology, there's more to come - morning frosts are forecast in the southern interior of the state this weekend.

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