Peak industry body, the Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC), said assistance was needed for the two affected North Queensland farms, which are now under quarantine, and for biosecurity measures on other farms.
ABGC Chairman Doug Phillips and CEO Jim Pekin today met in Brisbane with the Queensland Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne and officials from Biosecurity Queensland to ask for assistance.
ABGC is calling for measures including:
- A Biosecurity Queensland (BQ)-approved protocol that sets out “minimum biosecurity standards” that infected farms need to meet in order to restart their farming operations
- Government funding assistance for TR4-infected farms, including assistance for the costs of destroying infected plants and fencing infected farms
- A joint Government-grower funded program for other farm biosecurity measures
- A BQ-regulated program for ensuring the provision of clean banana planting material
- A special Research and Development fund to assist with TR4 research.
The Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) is also convening banana industry meetings this week in Mareeba, Tully and Innisfail.
Meeting details are:
- Monday, 13 April 2015, 3pm - Mareeba Leagues Club, Doyle Street, Mareeba
- Tuesday, 14 April 2015, 10am - Tully Country Club, Anderson Street, Tully
- Tuesday, 14 April 2015, 4pm - Innisfail Shire Hall, 70 Rankin Street, Innisfail The meetings will be addressed by ABGC and Biosecurity Queensland (BQ).
Growers and others in the banana industry will be provided with an update on the latest information on the response to the banana plant fungus Panama disease Tropical Race 4.
They will also discuss measures the ABGC is requesting from Government.
For more information:Rhyll Cronin
ABGC
Tel: +61 07 3278 4786
Fax: +61 07 3278 4938
Email: Rhyll@abgc.org.au
www.abgc.org.au