Lubeck farmer and Victorian Farmers Federation Wimmera branch president Graeme Maher said farmers will soon experience shortage for all essential supplies.
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Mr Maher said nationwide farmers are bringing forward key purchases by up to six months, in anticipation of a complete shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Everything is becoming harder to get already. The rules are changing so quickly and people want to lock down their purchases," he said.
"I'm finding tek screws, building supplies, welding gas - things you would plan on buying in the next six months are being stockpiled.
The local VFF branch president said farmers are good at budgeting for the long term, but the disruption to the supply chain will have profound effects.
"I have budgets ranging from the next 12 months to the next five years. I even have a 10 year budget forecast for my machinery," he said.
"But everything runs on a tight deadline.
"If things cannot be produced all year round, we might start producing thing seasonally like we used to."
Mr Maher was also concerned about the fluctuating livestock markets, which has seen fat lamb drop from 895 cents per kilogram carcass weight to 769c/kg cwt in just two weeks.
"Currently lamb is off but mutton is up - it's almost at the same price," he said.
"I've been told lamb is sitting on wharves ready to go overseas, but the air freight is grounded.
"You used to be able to get lamb killed, packed, frozen and flown to the Middle East in four days, but no planes are flying around, so the market has fallen off the face of the earth.
"Things like this will change how we as a nation do things."
Mr Maher said if production is slowed down for many months, it may work in favour of farmers.
"I hope there will be a newfound respect for farmers," he said.
"It will be less about chasing profits and more about building communities.
"There will be more fat in the system."
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