BATTLE FIELDS
A BANANA industry leader is certain a second confirmed case of Panama TR4 disease in the Tully area can be contained and will not spread on the property.
Australian Banana Growers Council chairman Stephen Lowe (right) said the positive result on Mackays Bananas’ property in the Tully Valley was expected.
“At this stage we are still confident of containment and especially confident the disease won’t spread on the farm it has been found at,” he said.
PRODUCTIVITY will be slowed as one of the country’s largest banana growers counts the cost of containing the second Panama TR4 outbreak in the state’s history.
Secondary tests yesterday confirmed the devastating news that the crop-destroying disease was at Mackays’ banana property in the Tully Valley.
Biosecurity Queensland is now investigating the source of the disease and working with the third-generation farming giant to continue quarantining the infected 3ha area.
Australian Banana Growers Council chairman Stephen Lowe said the positive result was expected but would place an extra burden on the family’s business.
“What it will mean is the individual grower, who has indicated they will continue to trade from the property, they will have added costs on operation due to the extra biosecurity in place that other farmers don’t have,” the Tully grower said.
“Things like checking of product as it leaves the farm and ensuring any equipment and personnel coming off is decontaminated.”
Mackays, which have been successfully producing the fruit for 65 years, employs 400 staff on five properties covering 3600ha in the Tully area.
The infected area has been quarantined since initial test results tested positive for the disease two weeks ago. The company has not responded to requests to comment.
Biosecurity staff are conducting fortnightly surveillance on all Mackays’ properties and inspecting everything that leaves the property.
“Some of the cost is worn by grower and some is government. It will impact on productivity so that individual has a higher cost, but it is certainly not going to be prohibitive,” Mr Lowe said.
The Far North’s banana industry strengthened biosecurity efforts since Panama TR4 disease was first detected on Cavendish banana plants on the Robson farm in Tully Valley two years ago.
Mr Lowe said the industry “feels for the family”.
“The size of the operation is not that concerning. It is still only two incidents in two years,” he said. “What would be concerning is if it was popping up left, right and centre.
“At this stage we are still confident of containment and especially confident the disease won’t spread on the farm it has been found at.”
Panama TR4 program leader Rhiannon Evans said the only way control measures would stop is if the disease became widespread or new production methods and tolerant varieties were created so it was no longer production issue.
“One way or the other, the disease has changed the banana growing landscape forever,” she said.