Fear Mexican limes will ruin local industry
FAR North Queensland lime growers are bracing for a new threat that “has the potential to wipe out all citrus crops” with moves to allow limes into Australia from Mexico.
The federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is conducting a risk analysis in response to a formal market access request for limes from the world’s largest exporter of the citrus variety, which exported about 1.1 million tonnes of the fruit in 2015.
FNQ Growers president Joe Moro said the region’s lime growers held grave concerns about what effect the importation would have on the local industry.
“Our $31 million citrus industry is at stake, along with the jobs and livelihoods of hundreds of farmers and workers that it employs,” he said.
“Any importation comes with significant biosecurity risks which have the potential to decimate a local industry.”
Mutchilba lime grower Karen Muccignat said the risk of a pest or disease incursion was very real and frightening.
“We will be strongly urging the department … to microscopically consider all potential threats in order to protect the Australian citrus industry,” she said.
The department’s preliminary risk analysis outlines about 13 pests and diseases of quarantine concern.