THE Victorian Government is reviewing the list of insecticides available for its rebate scheme for locust control.
A Department of Primary Industries spokesman urged farmers not to order chemicals until the rebate list was finalised.
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"Our advice is: don't order just yet," he said.
But chemical manufacturers don't want farmers to delay too much longer as they need to order supplies from overseas and for their own manufacturing plants in Australia.
The risk associated with carrying insecticides has been an issue that has been simmering for a few weeks.
Farmers attending the recent Birchip Cropping Group expo were told by Victorian plague locust commissioner Gordon Berg that the Government's rebate would only apply for chemical bought and used for locust control.
Mr Berg said farmers would not be reimbursed for insecticides left unused.
Some control products are only registered for locusts.
For example, fipronil is one of the cheaper options available and has a short withholding period but is only registered for locusts on pastures.
Farmers don't want to end up holding expensive chemicals they cannot use or receive a rebate for.
Even if they on sold it to another farmer in need, it is not clear if it would qualify for the Government rebate.
Nufarm business development manager Alex Ford said his company had been planning for a number of months to ensure it had enough insecticide for farmers this spring.
Nufarm will supply a large share of the demand for insecticides and had commissioned a second manufacturing plant to ramp up production.
Mr Ford suggested farmers concerned about carryover stock should stick to insecticides with good shelf lives, which could be used for another insect problem in the future.
He said alpha-cypermethrin products could be used on a range of insects in a number of crop types, such as canola, cereals and pulses, along with pastures.
He said it was relatively low-risk product and the cheapest of the options available.
It also had a relatively long shelf life, meaning farmers could store unused product for other pests.
He said the amount of residual varied for alpha-cypermethrin, depending on the application rate and the prevailing weather.
Mr Ford said fenitrothion was relatively expensive compared with fipronil and alpha-cypermethrin.
He said farmers were likely to select alpha-cypermethrin products because it was the "best all-round option".
Mr Ford urged farmers to "get out the shovel and see what eggs are out in the paddocks" so they could determine the amount of chemical they might want.
