Mackays finds security in process

Mackays director Cameron Mackay is confident an outbreak of Panama TR4 disease on a small block at their Tully Valley banana property will be contained. His confidence, he says, stems from all the hard work that has been done over the past couple of years implementing biosecurity measures.

A CULTURE shift towards stricter biosecurity practices in the Far North banana industry has been dubbed the saviour at the second property in the state’s history to be infected with the Panama TR4 disease.

A small block at Mackays Tully Valley banana property is in quarantine and will be destroyed after secondary tests this week confirmed the soilborne fungus was present.

Mackays director Cameron Mackay said he was confident the disease would be contained due to the farm’s biosecurity.

“The step to where we need to be now has been a smaller step than had we not had all these biosecurity measures in place,” he said.

“We have learnt from what we have seen overseas and everywhere else that containment is so critical.

“The steps we have taken have not been so dramatic compared to if we had not done any biosecurity.”

Mackays, one of the country’s largest banana producers, has been successfully farming the fruit for 65 years and employs 400 staff on five properties covering 3600ha in the Tully area.

Less than 5ha of the Mackays banana plantation is expected to be destroyed, which will be guided by Biosecurity Queensland.

The property contains about 1500 banana plants per hectare.

Mr Mackay said it would impact less than one per cent of company’s business.

He said he was not worried about extra costs.

Last year the Robson family’s 137ha farm was bought for $4.5 million and shut down to stop the spread of the devastating soil-borne fungus after it was detected in 2015.

Mr Mackay urged other growers to uphold their biosecurity obligations.

“You need to be on the front foot to make sure that you at least make the first step, because you don’t want to be taking the big leap,” he said.

“Let’s hope no one has to make the big leap and we can keep it where it is, but you have got to be looking out for it all the time.”

Control measures applied to a Mackays’ property include signs, decontamination stations, destruction of infested plants and defined surrounding area, waste and record keeping and verification that packed fruit is free of soil and plant material.

Biosecurity Queensland’s Panama TR4 acting program leader Rhiannon Evans said the impact from the latest outbreak would be minimal.

“These measures will remain in place as long as it is necessary to control and contain the disease and minimise its impacts on the banana industry,” she said.

“It is easily transmitted in infected water, soil and plant material. One way or the other, the disease has changed the banana growing landscape forever.”

Mr Mackay said staff were “suspicious” from the start and quarantined the area.