Australia's Commonwealth and Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has found an AUD$36 (US$37.35) carbon price could lead Murray-Darling fruit growers to swap crops for tree plantations, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

But Michael Battaglia from the CSIRO's Sustainable Agricultre Flagship told the Herald the estimate was based on a 'high-end scenario' that was not likely, the story reported.

"It assumes the opportunity cost for land is low … and analysis tends to suggest without a high carbon price and low entry cost that very little land-use change is likely to happen," he was quoted as saying.

"And once it does start to happen it is likely to have quite a slow lead time until we see significant land use change.''

The region contributes which around 39% of the country's agricultural production would see a rapid shift if high incentives were given to farmers to store carbon, but if there were smaller incentives or barriers in place the shift would not be as great, the story reported.

Photo: Flickr, Valerio Pilar

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com