Water trading is taking off in Tasmania. More than 1 gigalitre (1,000 ML) of rights to Tasmanian Irrigation schemes have been traded between farmers permanently or temporarily in the past few months.

The trading recognises the value which farmers place on highly reliable irrigation water. An auction of entitlements remaining in a number of TI schemes - either in operation or under development - will be held by Landmark Harcourts in Launceston on 7 March 2013.

The advent of a Tasmanian water market is attracting the wider attention of the news media, including The Mercury newspaper coverage and its editorial suggesting that water entitlements may follow a similar path to abalone licences.

Find out more about the water auction here: auction site

Read Tasmanian Irrigation's recent statement on water trading in Tasmania: water trading takes off