AU: Queensland says no to Malaysia pineapples
The Federal Department of Agriculture has not yet made a decision on the country's application to export pineapples to Australia.
The Minister, John McVeigh, says the imports could put Queensland's pineapple industry at risk due to exotic diseases such as bacterial heart rot and fruit collapse.
"The Gillard Labor government risks wiping out a key regional industry in Queensland for the sake of its bureaucratic and process-driven open door trade policies," he said in a statement.
Queensland has been the main pineapple producing state in Australia for 100 years. The industry is worth $80 million and secures over 1,000 jobs.
Closer to home McVeigh is also intent on fighting Canberra's application to import ginger from Fiji, which he says also carry risks.
"I call on Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig to start standing up for his fellow Queenslanders and fight in federal cabinet to put an end to this nonsense," he said.
Source: news.ninemsn.com.au
