ID :
29854
Wed, 11/12/2008 - 23:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/29854
The shortlink copeid
Philippines banana imports given the nod
Australia's biosecurity advisers have again recommended that bananas grown in the Philippines be imported into Australia. The issue has been running since 2002 and previous Biosecurity Australia risk
analyses have been withdrawn after the banana industry found errors in the organisation's science.
Biosecurity Australia on Wednesday released a final risk analysis report for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines.
The report recommended that imports be allowed provided "the Philippines meets strict risk management measures for seven groups of pests of quarantine concern, including moko, black Sigatoka and freckle".
Banana growers fear that lax quarantine measures or corruption in the Philippines will lead to disease entering Australia, potentially devastating their industry. "If moko (disease) gets into the north Queensland industry, it'll wipe it out," said Len Collins of the Australian Banana Growers Council (ABGC). "We're very disappointed Biosecurity Australia has seen fit to let them in."
Growers say they don't fear the competition, just the diseases that could come in with the bananas. They have established a substantial fighting fund in anticipation of the coming debate.
Australia was the only country free of these chronic disease risks, said ABGC CEO
Tony Heidrich.
He said it was not safe to import any bananas from the Philippines.
"There's just too many things that you just can't account for when you talk about
importing the volume of bananas we're likely to see from a successful import
application," Mr Heidrich said.
"In a nutshell, it's not safe to import them under any conditions."
Mr Heidrich said many of the import conditions being laid down by Biosecurity
Australia had to occur "on farm" in the Philippines and would require reliable
oversight.
"Every time there's a shipment going out there's an element of faith required at
various points in that process, and that's a cause for concern when you have a
country that doesn't have a culture of quarantine," Mr Heidrich said.
"If they do go ahead it's only a matter of time before we see one of those diseases
here."
Growers have 30 days to study the 600-page report and lodge an appeal.
analyses have been withdrawn after the banana industry found errors in the organisation's science.
Biosecurity Australia on Wednesday released a final risk analysis report for the importation of Cavendish bananas from the Philippines.
The report recommended that imports be allowed provided "the Philippines meets strict risk management measures for seven groups of pests of quarantine concern, including moko, black Sigatoka and freckle".
Banana growers fear that lax quarantine measures or corruption in the Philippines will lead to disease entering Australia, potentially devastating their industry. "If moko (disease) gets into the north Queensland industry, it'll wipe it out," said Len Collins of the Australian Banana Growers Council (ABGC). "We're very disappointed Biosecurity Australia has seen fit to let them in."
Growers say they don't fear the competition, just the diseases that could come in with the bananas. They have established a substantial fighting fund in anticipation of the coming debate.
Australia was the only country free of these chronic disease risks, said ABGC CEO
Tony Heidrich.
He said it was not safe to import any bananas from the Philippines.
"There's just too many things that you just can't account for when you talk about
importing the volume of bananas we're likely to see from a successful import
application," Mr Heidrich said.
"In a nutshell, it's not safe to import them under any conditions."
Mr Heidrich said many of the import conditions being laid down by Biosecurity
Australia had to occur "on farm" in the Philippines and would require reliable
oversight.
"Every time there's a shipment going out there's an element of faith required at
various points in that process, and that's a cause for concern when you have a
country that doesn't have a culture of quarantine," Mr Heidrich said.
"If they do go ahead it's only a matter of time before we see one of those diseases
here."
Growers have 30 days to study the 600-page report and lodge an appeal.
