Pipe Price Surge Forces Dairy Farm Delays

Dairy farmers across South Australia and Victoria are shelving infrastructure projects as the cost of poly and PVC piping surges by up to 60 per cent.

The increases, driven largely by rising global oil prices, are placing additional strain on producers already managing drought and broader inflation pressures.

South Australian Dairyfarmers Association president Robert Brokenshire says a planned installation of several kilometres of poly-pipe for water reticulation will be significantly more expensive from May.

He describes the 35 per cent increase quoted by suppliers as “massive”, with additional cost pressures also affecting fuel, freight and other essential farm inputs.

Industry suppliers report similar challenges, with Seattle Services manager Jeremy Lambert saying some project costs have jumped from around ten thousand dollars to more than sixteen thousand.

Farmers say the impact is already flowing through to regional economies, with some delaying upgrades to troughs and irrigation systems, reducing work for contractors and local businesses.