US apple imports could risk biosecurity, growers say

In late October, the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry recommended the import of commercially produced fresh apples from the Pacific Northwest of the US into Australia be permitted if they meet the biosecurity import conditions.

Agriculture minister Murray Watt said he was confident Australia's biosecurity system was up to the task of keeping out any exotic pests or disease.

However, Queensland's Granite Belt Growers Association president and apple and strawberry grower Nathan Baronio wants further assurances.

"Until the government can guarantee the right measures will be in place to protect our biosecurity, the process should be stopped," Mr Baronio said.

"It can really change the landscape of our industries significantly.

"We've already seen the effects of varroa mite and the impact that it's had across multiple industries. Look at what's happened to the banana industry, for instance, over the last 15 years."

While apples are currently imported to Australia from New Zealand, Japan and China, there are 20 quarantine pests associated with apples present in the PNW.

OF particular concern to growers is fire blight - a serious bacterial disease of pome fruit including apple, pear, quince, and loquat.

Symptoms of fire blight infection generally affects all parts of the plants from blossoms and leaves to branches and roots, eventually killing the tree. There is no cure for the infection.

Costs for control and loss in the US were estimated to be about US$100 million in 2003, according to pathologists from the United States Department of Agriculture, Michigan State University and Cornell University.

The disease spreads easily and rapidly since it can be spread by wind and rain as well as insects, and by people, vehicles and equipment.

In 1997 fire blight was found in the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens but was successfully eradicated. Australia is now considered free of the disease.

Nevertheless, if fire blight established in Australia, "many of our pome fruit crops would be at risk", the DAFF website says.

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"Fire blight is a huge concern for our industry," Mr Baronio said.

"A significant amount of the trees that we've got in Australia are not fire blight resistant, so if fire blight comes in, I believe you'd have to spray pretty heavily with antibiotics and remove diseased trees immediately otherwise you'll lose your entire block."

Meanwhile, the resistant strains of trees that are available are incredibly expensive, the grower says.

"From planting a new tree to production is a six year process. It's not like you can click your fingers and all of a sudden be fire blight resistant," he said.

"It's incredibly expensive and it takes a tremendous amount of time. It'd be a disaster if fire blight came into Australia."

Mr Baronio said pest and disease concerns were not just prevalent for the apple industry - citrus, strawberry, blueberry and stone fruit could all potentially be at risk.

Previously, Apple and Pear Australia Limited chief executive officer Phil Turnbull said until the government could guarantee the right measures were in place to protect Australia's biosecurity, the government should stop the process.

Before imports can start, DAFF says it will verify that the US can meet Australia's specified import conditions, publish import conditions on the Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON), and issue import permits to importers who meet the import conditions.

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