Tony Burke, the Federal Water Minister, has agreed to meet irrigation groups belonging to the Murray-Darling Basin tonight.

The meeting is part of the consultation process engaging businesses and all stakeholders on the planned water cutbacks on the Murray River to save it from further environmental degradation.

Speaking on ABC's Radio National Breakfast, Mr. Danny O'Brien, Chief Executive Officer of the National Irrigators Council, said they want the government to understand the impact of the proposed water delivery to areas surrounding the Murray River-Darling Basin.

Mr. Burke said he is keen to "have a chat" with Mr. Burke.

Irrigators have contested the planned water delivery cutback, insisting this would not be good for irrigation and agricultural production as a whole.

In a recent meeting in Deniliquin, NSW, some protesting irrigators burned a copy of the proposed plan, which intends to prolong the life of the Murray River.

In the draft plan the Murray-Darling Basin Authority proposes cuts of up to 37 percent, with many irrigators predicting an end to profitable cropping as a result of the cuts.

"We all got calls on Friday afternoon and we certainly welcome the opportunity to have a chat," Mr. O'Brien said.

"I think tonite we'll sit down in a calm and rational way but notwithstanding that all of my member and the people at the meeting tonite will certainly be impressing on the minister that the scenes we saw last week are completely understandable when people's livelihoods are threatened.

"There is no question that the numbers released by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority would lead to thousands of job losses, would put pressure on food prices and would threaten and see the foreclosure of many family farms," he added on the ABC Online interview.

"I hope it's a genuine attempt at negotiation and we certainly are prepared to sit down and talk about the basin plan," he said.