Economics
Here’s How Wildfires Will Impact What Australians Eat and Wear
A family feeds cattle on their farm near Cobargo, a day after a bushfire swept through the area.
Photographer: James Brickwood/The Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images
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As unprecedented wildfires threaten large parts of Australia, the nation’s agriculture industries are counting the cost of the blazes that have scorched pasture, destroyed livestock, and razed vineyards.
With the fires still burning and fears of more to come, it’s too early to quantify the damage, analysts and industry officials said. It’s likely the country’s dairy supply will be hit hardest, with key milk-producing states Victoria and New South Wales suffering the greatest loss of farmland and infrastructure damage. Meat, wool, and honey output may also dip.