A perfect storm plaguing north Queensland farmers is about to get worse with the threat of bushfires and even more of the state expected to be drought-declared.
State Agriculture Minister John McVeigh will meet graziers and farmers in Georgetown, in the state's north, later on Tuesday to discuss their growing concerns.
"It's time for us to continue to check that graziers and farmers in this state are OK," he told reporters in Cairns on Tuesday.
"The stress that their families are under is top of mind for me. The outlook for rainfall at the end of this year is average at best."
Already 60 per cent of the state is officially in drought and Mr McVeigh predicts more will follow later this month.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"I expect I'll be making further declarations in the coming weeks and months," he said. "This is quite a serious development."
Following one of the state's hottest months on record, bushfires are also posing a significant threat to those in the north and northwest.
"Now that the threat of fires is with us again we are seeing graziers under a fair bit of pressure," Mr McVeigh said.
He said 2013 was a year of significant contrasts for Queensland's agricultural industry, with floods earlier in the year and now a drought.
Others have suffered due to a slump in the live cattle export trade, while some stations had been quarantined due to an outbreak of Bovine Johne's Disease.
Mr McVeigh said Prime Minister Tony Abbott would discuss the live cattle export trade during his visit to Indonesia this week, a move he hoped would boost the market.
A high number of graziers and farmers have taken advantage of the state's drought assistance scheme, with many applying for water and fodder transport subsidies.
Further drought assistance packages are expected to be announced in coming weeks.
