Growers welcome funds for pig control

BANANA growers across the north have been offered some relief to help protect their crops from Panama Disease with the LNP committing to deliver $3 million over four years to fund a co-ordinated feral pig control program along the Cassowary Coast.

The program is designed to boost resources and engage an experienced contractor to coordinate feral pig control efforts in the Tully-Murray and Johnstone River catchments.

Various methods of control will include shooting, trapping and baiting in different areas of the two catchments to be effective and cut down the feral pig population.

Tully banana grower and cane farmer Leon Collins said the banana industry currently faced a significant problem with feral pig numbers, particularly when it came to the containment of Panama tropical race 4 (TR4).

He said he’d spent about $58,000 on feral pig control alone this year.

“To ensure our industry can go forward we really need help,” he said.

“Feral pigs are a known vector in spreading TR4 around the place and they have become a total enemy now.”

As the Australian Banana Growers’ Council director, Mr Collins also leads a Feral Pig Management Working Group, which was established by the council in September to promote a co-ordinated effort on feral pig management throughout North Queensland, involving government, growers and community.

“Growers simply cannot tackle this problem alone and we are grateful that the LNP has responded to industry’s concerns,” he said. “The ABGC hopes that whatever party is elected on November 25 that they support this.”