Ag minister Furner to support lime growers at upcoming National Agriculture Ministers meeting

Lime growers in north Queensland have slammed the plan, warning that it could potentially destroy the local industry and risk bringing in a number of biosecurity hazards.

Member for Hill Shane Knuth raised the issue in state parliament last week, asking the government to act and to protect local producers.

Agriculture Minister Mark Furner expressed his concern regarding the importation of Limes from Mexico, and said he would take the industry's concerns to the federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud.

"While we need to have international trade, we need to be aware of the biosecurity risks," Mr Furner said.

"The role of my department as a stakeholder, among many stakeholders, is to review and provide input throughout the biosecurity import risk assessment process.

"Right now, David Littleproud's department of agriculture has consultation open in relation to a review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh Persian lime fruit from Mexico.

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"What is surprising is that David Littleproud's department seems more supportive of Coronas with Mexican limes rather than homegrown 'Milton mango'."

Queensland is currently the largest producer of limes in Australia with 558 hectares of mature lime orchards, representing more than half of Australia's total lime production.

Despite the large citrus bowl in Queensland, Australia currently imports limes from the Cook Islands, Egypt, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Samoa, Spain, Tonga, the US and Vanuatu.

Mr Furner said his department's scientists raised technical and scientific concerns with the federal counterparts at a meeting on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

"We have a state free of many pests and diseases, yet there are risks-funguses, viruses, mites and scabs-as a result of any threat coming into our state," he said.

"DAF personnel also attended the citrus industry consultation meeting convened by DAWE in Mareeba on 19 May 2021.

"There are other potential risks, and if there is a fail at the border it is Queensland growers who will suffer."

Mr Furner will relay the lime growers concerns at the next National Agriculture Ministers meeting with the federal Agriculture Minister.

At a meeting in Mareeba on May 19, attended by more than 50 growers,

Citrus Australia chief executive officer Nathan Hancock expressed concerns a number of serious pests had not been adequately assessed in the import risk assessment, and that some of the assumptions needed to be examined further, bringing into question the value of the report's findings.

"Some of those pests have the potential to transmit serious plant diseases into Australia," Mr Hancock said.

"While we recognise that at this stage the report is still in draft form, there is much work to do before we can even consider an import policy.

"My greatest concern is the lack of scientific enquiry around the recent outbreak of citrus canker in Mexico. Australia was only recently declared free from citrus canker following an outbreak in 2018."

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