A series of local expert groups have been contracted to help irrigators across the Murray Darling to access the financial and agronomic information they need to make business decisions in the face of reduced water availability.

Through the project, growers are able to access one-on-one, free, confidential sessions with local extension providers who have a background in horticulture or finance.

The project is being run by Horticulture Australia Ltd in partnership with industry and supported by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Sunraysia irrigator Tony Martin is chair of the project's Implementation Steering Committee. He says water scarcity is a major issue for irrigated horticulture in the Murray-Darling Basin.

"To ensure the profitability and sustainability of the industry, we need to give horticulture irrigators access to good agronomic and financial information," Mr Martin said.

"There's a lot of information out there from a variety of sources, and the extension providers have the knowledge and skills to help growers access information that is most relevant to them.

"The project is being run until the end of October across the southern Murray-Darling Basin, in the Goulburn Valley, Swan Hill, the Riverina and South Australia as well as Sunraysia."

* For more information, including contact details for all regions, go to the HAL website, www.horticulture.com.au/mdbdroughtinfo