WATER trading will be the focus of the first in a series of irrigation webinars to be run this Spring by Agriculture Victoria.

Senior irrigation extension officer Rob O’Connor said irrigators and service providers to the irrigation industry are encouraged to join the webinar on September 30.

“This webinar will assist irrigators to make more informed water trading decisions, and service providers to be better able to assist irrigators with making better water trading decisions, he said.

“Nowadays a lot of irrigators rely on the allocation market to source their water. Water costs are making up an increasing proportion of overall farm business costs.

“This webinar will discuss the key features of the connected southern Murray Darling Basin water market, as well as the current situation and seasonal outlook for water availability and price,” Mr O’Connor said.

“The focus will be on providing practical knowledge and tips to inform water trading decisions this season and into the future.

“The webinar content is based on irrigator advice and feedback, so should be particularly useful for irrigators.”

The guest speaker will be H2OX Water Trading business development manager Craig Feuerherdt.

Topics to be covered at the first webinar include:

• water trading tips for your farm business
• ‘situation and outlook’ for water availability and the market this season, including discussion of the key drivers
• different trading zones, water entitlement classes and volumes in the connected southern Murray Darling Basin (sMDB)
• relative impact of allocations against different sMDB water entitlements on overall water supply and the local water price
• implications of intervalley trade restrictions.

Registration is required. To register please go to https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctcOiqrD0oGNYalQaZ6jYBQ5N1fVWZFQuH

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing important information about joining the webinar. For technical issues, of if problems registering online contact John Paulet on 0429 158 500.

The webinar is being sponsored by the Sustainable Irrigation Program, a partnership between Agriculture Victoria, Catchment Management Authorities, Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) and rural water corporations.