Greater Shepparton City Council
Locked Bag 1000, Shepparton 3632
Council Office: 90 Welsford Street, Shepparton 3630
Ph: (03) 5832 9700 Fax: (03) 5831 4987 Email: council@shepparton.vic.gov.au
ABN 59 835 329 843
30 June 2011
Office of the Chief Executive
Biosecurity Australia
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Dear Sir/Madam
QUARANTINE CONTROL FOR APPLE IMPORTS
Council is extremely concerned that Biosecurity Australia is recommending that New Zealand ‘Commercial in Confidence’ standard commercial procedures will be Australia’s quarantine control for apple imports.
The horticultural industry in the Greater Shepparton region is a major contributor to export earnings for this country and the region is concerned that such an approach carries potential risks of introducing fireblight and other pests and diseases into Australia.
Council cannot understand how delegation of this important role can be given to a foreign industry that has a clear conflict of interest.
Our farming community has already experienced difficult times with the prolonged drought followed by excessive wet weather, and can ill-afford the risk of pest introduction brought about by what could only be described as inadequate controls that rely on New Zealand commercial procedures that we are unable to source the details of, due to confidentiality measures.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced, Australia, 2005-06) reports that the value of the Agricultural industry in Greater Shepparton is approaching $1Billion.
The Goulburn Valley area comprises in excess of:
2,131 hectares of apple trees
3,321 hectares of pear trees.
In addition to the primary production value of the commodities there are obvious multiplier economic effects in relation to the primary food industries in terms of production that adds value to primary produce, transport industries, cool storage and employment.
The Northern Victorian Regional Transport Strategy, commissioned by the Hume Regional Management Forum in 2009 showed a total of 11.8 million tonnes of freight originating from, and coming into, the region during 2008. This demonstrates the breadth of the impact that this industry has on our economy.
All these components in the value-added chain and the regional economy will be placed at risk if an outbreak of fireblight occurred, and Council believes that this risk increases dramatically with the proposed import rules.
Council strongly requests that Biosecurity Australia, in deliberating on its advice, arrives at a protocol that has the appropriate strength to protect our pome fruit industry.
If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Cr Geoff Dobson
MAYOR
cc Senator The Hon Joe Ludwig – Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
cc The Hon Peter Ryan MP - Minister for Regional and Rural Development
cc The Hon John Lenders – Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food Security
C2011/08581
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