There are fears a fungal disease detected in a Queensland banana farm could decimate the industry. Source: AAP
QUEENSLAND'S banana farmers always knew it was possible a devastating fungal disease could emerge in the state.
AND now it looks like it has, they're praying it doesn't spread.
Australian Banana Growers' Council chairman Doug Phillips has worked his banana farm near South Johnstone for 13 years.His 16-hectare property is about a 40-minute drive south of a plantation near Tully which was quarantined on Wednesday after the Panama TR4 fungal disease was detected.It's the first time it has been found in Queensland, having wrought havoc on the Northern Territory's industry after breaking out there in 1997.Mr Phillips says Queensland growers have always hoped the disease wouldn't reach the Sunshine State."We always knew it was a possibility, but you never quite think it's going to happen," he said."We need to get on top of this as soon as possible."The spread of the disease would be the worst-case scenario for the industry, he warned.The suspected case is on the Cassowary Coast - an area considered to be the heart of the banana growing industry.In all, the far north produces about 95 per cent of the country's bananas, is worth about $570 million and employs thousands.Biosecurity Queensland says it's too early to say how the disease got into the state and the results of final tests won't be ready for up to two weeks.Until then, Mr Phillips is urging farmers to take prevention into their own hands.The best way to do this is to limit access to their properties, given the disease is carried through water and soil, he says.Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne and Biosecurity Queensland have defended their response to the scare after reports the quarantined property's farmer raised concerns about his plants weeks ago.The department says it acted as quickly as possible after he notified the growers' council about potentially diseased plants on February 10.A biosecurity spokesman said testing for bacteria and fungi could take a number of weeks and involved growing tissue cultures, adding there were no symptoms consistent with the disease.PANAMA TROPICAL RACE 4 DISEASE* One of the world's worst banana plant diseases, caused by a fungus* TR4 is the worst strain and affects all banana plant varieties, including Australia's major banana variety, Cavendish* It kills banana plants by destroying the plants' vascular tissue* It doesn't affect fruit and bananas are still safe to handle and eat* TR4 is in the Northern Territory where it has significantly impacted the industry.Source: Australian Banana Growers' Council
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