Farmers across the Riverina are anxiously awaiting word on when help will arrive after suffering damage from the hailstorms

Farmers and harvesters across the region were pummelled with huge amounts of rain, wind and hail.

With a significant amount of the crop being damaged, and even next year's harvest taking a hit, farmers are worried about recovering from the storm without help.

Roger Bertacco, a citrus farmer, lost 50 per cent of his crop in the storms and estimated that the damage would be in the tens of thousands dollars of value.

"The expenses have already been outlaid to get to this stage, and that won't be recouped ... It's going to be a headache for the packing shed even if they're willing to take them," he explained.

Mr Bertacco has been appealing for assistance, but has heard nothing but silence.

"We've heard nothing from any government body of assistance or anything, really. It hasn't just affected one farm, it's affected a whole area."

He emphasised the toll the disasters have taken on farmers around the entire area.

"There's a lot of stressed people in the area, it's a natural disaster. I've been farming for 25 years, and I've never seen anything like it."

Vito Mancini, chairman of the Griffith and District Citrus Growers Association said that it grew more concerning as time went on.

"It's been over three weeks since the hailstorm now, growers are becoming a bit frustrated."

He emphasised that he's been trying to make clear to government agencies that the impacts went far beyond the initial loss of income, even going into the psychological impact of the uncertainty.

"What I'm hoping for is to build the case that this isn't just a loss of income issue, but there's trees themselves that we need to prune and structure, it goes on. There's more to it."

"The Department of Primary Industries and local land services are almost wiping their hands of it all. They say collecting the survey data is the most important thing growers should be doing."

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The Citrus Growers Association have now partnered with the Wine Grape Marketing Board and are in the process of writing a letter to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Dugald Saunders.

"For us, we know we've got a dramatic issue here but it seems like the government isn't responding. Maybe they don't have the access to data they need," Mr Mancini said.

"We're still doing the survey, but we're getting close to a point where growers might need to contact their local members of parliament to let them know the situation."

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