Nutrien Water turns off the tap in Tasmania

Nutrien Water has shut down its last remaining store in Tasmania at Somerset.

The company’s General Manager, Paul Elliot, said it remained fully committed to supporting its customers during the closure.

“All existing projects, warranties and service commitments will be completed through a trusted third-party partner,” Mr Elliot said.

“Customers have been contacted directly with information to support the transition, and we’re working proactively with them to complete outstanding commitments and ensure continuity of service.

“This change does not impact the service offered by Nutrien Ag Solutions retail stores across Tasmania.”

It is understood that around 10 workers at the Somerset location will lose their jobs.

TasFarmers President Ian Sauer said the decision by Nutrien Water to exit the state was “simply unacceptable”.

“Here’s a large international corporation that professes to serve its customers, yet it’s clear they don’t care about clients or downstream processing, whether it’s potatoes, peas, milk, or cheese,” Mr Sauer said.

“If it doesn’t suit them, they just pack up and leave, or like other big corporations, ask for a public handout,” Mr Sauer said.

"Farmers are now left with uncertainty, where are they going to have pumps and irrigators fixed or obtain technical advice and parts?

“Nutrien is a big supplier; it was all part of the service.”

Now with no other Nutrien Water locations in Tasmania, Mr Sauer said the need for “a specialist store, rather than something wrapped up in a regular retail outlet” was crucial.

"There’s a lot of technical knowledge involved in designing and maintaining irrigation systems.

“You need expertise in pumps, electrical requirements, and water application.

“When something goes wrong, farmers need to call someone who understands their system, not someone second-guessing the needs and requirements.”

Mr Sauer said farmers his organisation had spoken to were unsure how they would navigate the closure.

“Who do they turn to for irrigation advice, repairs, and expertise?

“Many Tasmanian farmers are expanding their irrigation systems and investing heavily. “They need to know which irrigators are best suited to their land and crops.

“Farmers are rightly worried about where they’ll now get that information.”

TasFarmers has indicated it will write to the Chairman and Board of Nutrien Ag Solutions in Canada, calling for an urgent review of the decision and urging the company to restore specialist irrigation support in the state.