Australia: Queensland warned of 'serious consequences' if TR4 spreads - FreshFruitPortal.com

Australia: Queensland warned of 'serious consequences' if TR4 spreads

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Australia: Queensland warned of 'serious consequences' if TR4 spreads

Biosecurity Queensland in Australia has warned of 'serious consequences' if Panama Disease Tropical Race IV (TR4) becomes widespread across the state, following a suspected detection on a plantation near Tully.Ā banana_87251656 - small

The organization's chief biosecurity officer Dr. Jim Thompson said the plantation was being quarantined due to an initial positive test result.

"Tropical Race 4 poses a serious threat to the banana industry as it attacks all types of banana plants including the Cavendish variety. It attacks the plants only by affecting the vascular tissue and is not transferred to banana fruit which remain safe to eat. There is no human health risk from the disease," Thompson said.

"It was first found in the Northern Territory in 1997 and has since spread to a number of areas in the Top End. Until now, it has never been detected in a Queensland plantation."

Panama disease is considered to be one of the most destructive banana diseases. It is spread by soil and water, and with movement of infected planting material.

Thompson said plants affected by TR4 rarely produced marketable bunches, making infected properties unviable for large-scale production.

"If the disease were to become widespread across Queensland's major banana growing districts, it would have serious consequences for the industry," he said.

"In Queensland, all high risk materials, including soil, appliances or other items that have been in contact with a banana plant or the soil on which a banana plant has been growing, needs an Inspector's Approval before entering the state.

"Movement of banana plants into, within or out of a Banana Pest Quarantine Area also requires an Inspector's approval.Ā Banana plants, planting material and fruit are prohibited to enter Queensland from the Northern Territory where Tropical Race 4 is present."

Australian Banana Growers' Council (ABGC)Ā CEO Jim Pekin said strict quarantine regulations were in place to prevent the spread of this disease and protect the state's AUD$600 million (US$466 million) industry.

"It is important that we work together to contain this disease if it is confirmed," he said.

ABGC chairman Doug Phillips earlier advised all banana growers to immediately review their on-farm biosecurity practices.

"Biosecurity is the most important issue to the Australian banana industry and Panama TR4 is the most serious of all biosecurity risks for us," Phillips said in a release.

"This suspected case has been identified through the banana industry's ongoing communication with growers about biosecurity risks and our surveillance work, with the plant sample collected by one of our field officers after being notified by the grower of an unhealthy plant.

"Although this is a suspected case of Panama TR4 both ABGC and Biosecurity Queensland are treating this case with the utmost seriousness."

Agriculture Minister 'in no way underselling' risk

Website Abc.net.au reported Queensland's Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne had responded to claims that authorities were slow to quarantine the plantation, which allegedly raised concerns a couple of weeks ago.

Byrne stood by Biosecurity Queensland's response, saying it would be very concerning if further tests confirmed the disease.

"Biosecurity Queensland has responded as rapidly as humanly possible after the positive test result was known," he was quoted as saying.

"So everything that could haveĀ been done in a timely fashion has been done. I don't want to at this stage speculate about what the possibilities are.Ā But I in no way undersell the risk that this disease poses."

Byrne also urged north Queensland banana farmers to ramp up biosecurity efforts, including not sharing equipment nor removing plan soil or plant material.

Costa's reaction

Australia's largest privately-owned produce company, Costa Group, has also called on the industry to coordinate its efforts to control the suspected outbreak, according to another news report from Abc.net.au.

The company's banana plantations are free of the disease, but it is being cautious.

"It's very important that growers and the industry work together, even when restrictions of movement of plant material and bananas are in place," Costa Bananas Tully general manager Ben Franklin was quoted as saying.

"There are many countries around the world where the growth of bananas has been quite devastated by it, including Philippines and China, so it's of great concern."

Costa reportedly has a turnover of AUD$900 million (US$698 million) a year, has 750 acres under banana production in Far North Queensland, producing 6,500 metric tons (MT) of Cavendish and 1,000MT of Lady Finger bananas.

"We've got a property at Walkamin, two-and-a-half hours' drive from Tully, where we grow Lady Finger variety," said Mr Franklin.

"That's susceptible to another strain of Panama, which has been found in Queensland before. We have restrictions already on the movement of machinery, of plants and people."

Industry advice

Growers in the region have been advised by the Queensland's Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to protect their property by:

  • using good on-farm biosecurity practices including ensuring the use of clean planting material such as tissue culture plants
  • not sharing farm machinery and equipment with other growers
  • removing all plant material and soil from all machinery, equipment, vehicles and footwear before entry to their property.

It also said if a case Panama disease was suspected, it should be reported immediately to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23, or the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

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