Farmers and crofters across many parts of Scotland are counting the cost of Storm Arwen that hit last weekend.
One casualty of the weather is the North East rural crime event scheduled to be at Gray Farms, Portsoy, on Wednesday, December 1. The event will be rescheduled for early in 2022.
Early reports from members around the country indicate that the damage to some businesses is substantial with many still waiting on roads to open and power and telecommunications to be restored.
The list includes severe damage to buildings and structures, both large and small, including roofs, walls, cladding and polytunnels. It has also brought down large areas of trees, adding to the severe disruption.
One member has estimated that the structural damage to his business is approximately £70,000. Another has recorded that an acre of Sitka Spruce trees on his farm has been blown down.
As members start to assess the total scale of the damage, it is already apparent that it will run into many millions.
An extreme storm
NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy said: “From personal experience, I know how extreme the storm was.
There will have been hundreds of trees blown down on our own estate near Aberfeldy and Sunday was spent helping clear roads and driveways to allow people access to and from their homes and get services into the area to reconnect electricity and telephone services.
“As we gather reports from our members up and down the country, the damage to many businesses has been extensive and that farmers’ role in the clear up operation for local towns and villages has been hampered by heavy snow in places.
“Much of the damage will have been insurable and we have already contacted our partners in NFU Mutual for an update on the storm’s impact.
“Our extensive network of group secretaries and Mutual agents across Scotland will be working hard with our members today, helping them assess and start the process of restarting and recovering from the impact of the storm.”
