THE Ricegrowers' Association of Australia wants to see an allocation announcement for the state's Murrumbidgee and Murray general security entitlement holders on Monday.
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The organisation has written to NSW Minister for Water Melinda Pavey calling for the announcement. Since the last allocation on May 15, 297 gigalitres have flowed into Murray River storages.
That number is based on RGA calculations. Assuming inflows continue to May 31, the total is expected to be at least 380 GL.
At the same time, assumed tributary inflows have reduced river losses, reducing the need to reserve as much in storage for this purpose.
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Based on state sharing arrangements, RGA estimates a 125 GL improvement in the share of NSW Murray storages, equivalent to at least a six per cent NSW Murray general security allocation increase.
While a 1 June allocation has never occurred previously, the RGA said it believes nothing is stopping the NSW government from making the announcement.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority water year finishes on May 31 and the NSW water year ends on June 31.
RGA president Rob Massina said general security entitlement holders should benefit from the recent resource improvement in the NSW Murray system, given all other commitments have now been met.
"Furthermore, this water year has been highly unusual with the largest inflows occurring late in the season," he said.
"This alone should be incentive for the NSW government to continue making allocation announcements as late as possible in the water year.
"For NSW Murray growers, who until May 15 had been without an allocation for nearly two years, a June 1 allocation would boost confidence to see through their winter cropping programs, and start planning a much-needed rice crop to ensure Australian rice is on supermarket shelves in 2021."
Mr Massina said while Murrumbidgee system inflows have not been as significant, the RGA similarly urges the government to allocate any increase in resource to general security water holders on June 1.
"The RGA reiterates that our estimates above should not be relied upon and are simply our best attempt to calculate the opportunity for an allocation based on publicly available information," he said.
"Should the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment not make a June 1 allocation, it needs to explain why an allocation is not justified."
