AU: Petition mounted to stop Fijian ginger imports
The inquiry, starting today, led by Queensland Senator Ron Boswell will examine a report from DAFF Biosecurity that Ms Templeton believes is far too lenient in its quarantine requirements.
"Fijian ginger has severe problems with pest and diseases," she said.
"If it gets into Australia, it could wipe out 70% of our crop."
Ms Templeton said the Australian Ginger Association had worked alongside scientists and advocates to make sure the nation's ginger industry was able to provide a well researched, evidence-based response to the Draft IRA. (Import Risk Analysis).
"The scientific evidence states clearly and unequivocally that imports of Fiji ginger will result in the introduction of pathogens putting at serious risk the future viability of the Australian Ginger Industry," Ms Templeton said.
She is also afraid of the financial ramifications such pathogens would bring.
"It would be very costly if we had to fight these things with chemicals," she said.
"Ginger does not use many chemicals. That's why we grow it."
The Templeton farms employ about 100 people year-round, but Ms Templeton said if exotic diseases took their toll the end result would be thousands of job losses across the country.
"It would be a domino effect that would include transport, the people who make the boxes and it goes on," she said.
Source: noosanews.com.au
