The drought that has gripped much of southern New South Wales (NSW) in Australia will force up fruit and vegetable prices if the region does not experience significant rainfall in the next six weeks, according to officials.
Drought figures released this week showed that 56.5 per cent of the state was suffering from the drought, with very dry conditions in the south and wet conditions in the north, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Primary Industries Minister Ian McDonald told reporters that urgent rain was required in the dryer parts of the state.
'The Riverina is the food bowl of Australia, it produces very large quantities of fruit and vegetables and also our rice,' he told reporters in Sydney. 'They will need rainfall in the south or we will get significant impacts on fruit and vegetable prices.'
He added that farmers could lose billions of dollars if there was further drought.
'It's early days, but we need rainfall in the state prior to late April to get those crops working again,' he said.
