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Australia must act now against deadly citrus pest

Fresh Plaza – February 14, 2011

Riverina Citrus has told a Senate inquiry in Canberra today that the Australian citrus industry will be wiped out unless investment is made to stop a plant disease, known as Citrus Greening, entering the country. “In Florida the China-borne pest, Huanglongbing (HLB), is costing the citrus industry $300 million annually and in Brazil more than 4 million trees have been removed,” Riverina Citrus Chairman Frank Battistel said.

“Citrus Greening leaves fruit sour and misshapen and eventually kills the fruit tree and once it gains a foothold in a country, it spreads until it has contaminated every productive farming region,” Mr Battistel said.

The Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport is inquiring into biosecurity and quarantine arrangements in Australia and Mr Battistel told today’s inquiry that Australia’s commercial citrus industry is vulnerable to Citrus Greening, because of Australia’s proximity to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea where the disease is endemic.

“Australia’s biosecurity and quarantine arrangements are currently inadequate to meet the challenge of HLB and we call on the Government to act quickly and decisively before the disease gives our industry the fight of our lives.

“Citrus greening not only destroys production but would also ruin our clean and green image, impacting on our chances to export,” Mr Battistel said.

Riverina Citrus is calling for a number of measures to protect Australia’s valuable citrus industry including:

An economic impact analysis covering the whole of the supply chain; An awareness campaign to alert the public, visitors and the industry; Information about the disease targeted at nurseries, growers, and consultants; Mandatory certification of all budwood and seed used by citrus nurseries; and Legislation in all states to enable mandatory destruction of abandoned orchards in quarantine zones.

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