Banana growers have faith that the $9.8million promised by the Queensland Government over the next year will reassure the industry. Confirmed support is available for those working in the field, following strict biosecurity procedures to protect the commodity, worth $600million per year to the Australian economy, from the threat of Panama TR4.
The hope is that Federal and State Government funds, and money from the Australian Banana Growers Council, will be enough to deal with the effect of the Panama outbreak on a farm in the Tully Valley region, and contain any potential outbreaks. “That seems to be what the Government has committed to spending, the Government is reassuring growers by doing that,” says Fresh Yellow grower Tony Cumiglia, “We’d like to think it’s enough. We’d like to trust that the government and our grower organization would do enough. I would like to think we’ll get full support for the work being done by those in the industry.”
“The banana industry contributes significantly to the far north Queensland economy and employment in the region, and is strongly linked with backpacker tourism,” said Queensland Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Bill Byrne in a statement. “This Budget investment will not only help to protect banana farms in the region, but will assist in managing the long term social and economic impacts of the outbreak across north Queensland.” The money will be spent on surveillance and tracing to determine the exact extent of the outbreak, prevent further outbreaks and cover costs associated with destroying infected plants.
The reassurance had to come from the Palaszczuk Government in Queensland, as national funding under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed was not an option, because Panama TR4 cannot be feasibly eradicated.
The announcement came on Thursday afternoon, and also said that the Government is pursuing ‘all opportunities outside of formal deed arrangements’ to share the costs or responding to the outbreak, which began in early March, with Federal Government and industry.
The $9.8million promise comes on top of close to $4million spent since March by the State government.
For more information:
To read the statement by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, or for more information on Panama Tropical Race 4, visit www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au