When Peter Corcoran's local council started work on the unsealed road leading to his potato farm in Sunraysia last week, he was relieved.

But while the state of Curran Road at Bannerton, south of Robinvale, improved dramatically, Mr Corcoran knows it will deteriorate quickly.

His 700-acre farm supplies potatoes for crisps, frozen chips and supermarkets year-round.

Mr Corocoran said getting his produce out required "four to five trucks" a day, but the state of the road "makes it very difficult for my business to expand because people don't want to come and pick up my produce."

Mr Corcoran has paid rates on the property to Swan Hill Rural City Council for 17 years but there's no kerbside waste service.

"We're not benefitting off council on this road by paying rates because nothing is being done," he said.

"Just for me, what it costs to pay rates is 10 times what it costs to grade this road."

He said he had called the council, written letters and sent photos about the poor condition of the road but his requests had fallen on deaf ears.

Mr Corcoran said he would grade the road himself but he was not allowed.

Mr Corcoran said he would even be willing to contribute money towards having the road improved just to know that emergency services would be able to reach his family, including four children, if something went wrong.

He also wants to expand his business to pre-cooked potatoes.

"If the road was in the state it was in just before it was graded, the oven equipment wouldn't survive the trip," he said.

"The damages would be too high an expense for me to even risk buying the equipment to get it down the road."

Budget 'can't cope' with road upgrades 

Swan Hill Rural City Council director of infrastructure Svetla Petkova said Curran Road was classified as an access road, qualifying for just one grade once a year.

She said if there were issues and defects reported, roads were inspected, but upgrades could not be guaranteed.

"We won't be able to upgrade the roads to meet that future need without significant external funding", she said.

Rural Councils Victoria represents more than 75 per cent of the state geographically and its chair Mary Anne Brown said infrastructure like roads and bridges were a significant burden.

"We've already started conversations with the Victorian minister for local government and will be putting an advocacy package together for increased roads funding for councils and Regional Roads Victoria," she said.

The Commonwealth Government also provides a financial assistance grant to councils but RCV is also calling for that allocation to be increased.