Cherry, flower, apple and stone fruit crops throughout the region were extensively damaged at many properties when the intense storm were rocked by hail early Friday morning.

Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair said affected growers could now apply for low interest loans of up to $130,000 to repair damage.

 “We currently estimate the damage bill to be more than $4 million, however we expect this could rise as producers continue to assess just how widespread the impact of the storms has been,” he said.

“The damage has included pitting, bruising and skin punctures to cherries, apples and wine grapes, as well as rips and collapses in structures like hail netting.”

He urged consumers across NSW to support Central West farmers by buying their produce over Christmas and New Year.

One of the hardest properties hit in the region was Mayfarm Flowers at Nashdale.

Owner Chris May said fields of flowers destined for Christmas and Valentine’s Day markets were damaged while the property’s apple orchard was also severely hit.

Workers were in the fields this week de-heading roses and pruning cutting back other flowers in the hope that when they grew back there would be sufficient quality flowers to send to market.

“By cutting them back you do get regrowth,” he said.

“We can’t do much more than that.”

Mr May took over the former apple orchard earlier this year and has copped the storm in his first harvest.

“The roses were hardest hit, they were basically destroyed,” he said.

He said the oriental lily crop, which should have made 20,000 bunches was damaged.

“We can de-head those, leave those plans in the ground for 12 months and hope they can come up again.”

Mr May said there was also “significant stem damage” to the dahlias and half the sunflower crop was gone.

He said they would look at buying netting and moving toward growing more trees and shrubs in the future.

READ MORE: Orange orchardists counting the cost of damaging rains 

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“They are more forgiving than flowers,” he said.

“Obviously putting up more hail netting is an answer but that is very expensive.”

Details on available assistance is available by calling 1800 678 593.