The Queensland banana farm in Tully suspected of being infected with Panama Tropical Race 4 disease has come back with a positive result.
Queensland agriculture minister Bill Byrne announced the results today, with Biosecurity Queensland (BQ) confirming that the biological testing of samples from the farm confirmed the presence of the disease.
The Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) chair Stephen Lower has urged all growers in the region to ramp up on-farm biosecurity to prevent the disease from spreading further.
“We are obviously very disappointed for the farm family involved. At the same time, we are grateful as an industry that they have been proactive in bringing the suspect samples to the attention of BQ,” Lowe said.
“The farm family have isolated and stopped all access to the infected block.”
Third-generation banana business Mackays has been working with BQ and the ABGC to quarantine the property since initial tests were undertaken earlier this month.
Lowe added that the best way to support the banana industry is for people to keep buying bananas.
“Bananas will continue to be a healthy, delicious and nutritious product and will not be affected,” Lowe said.
