Australia: Ongoing testing required for banana plant samples

Banana plant samples taken from a North Queensland grower last week, are to continue through to more extensive testing.

Biosecurity Queensland (BQ) has advised that the full suite of tests required is now being conducted on those samples, to eliminate the possibility of them containing Panama TR4.

ABGC Chairman, Doug Phillips, said that BQ advised that testing will take about three weeks.

Mr Phillips said the situation was not good in terms of delaying the purchase of the current TR4 infected property at Tully, but backed the thorough process pursued by BQ in their effort to eliminate all doubt about the further spread of TR4.

“BQ are following their authorised TR4 diagnostic testing process,” he said.

ABGC understands the impact this is having on the grower, who was scheduled to sell his farm last week, and on the grower with the samples under testing. “We still hope to buy the Tully farm, but are required to wait until the plant samples are cleared,” Mr Phillips said.

For more information:
Sonia Campbell
Australian Banana Growers’ Council
Tel: +61 428 038 330
Email: sonia@abgc.org.au