Apple growers fear economic and biosecurity wipeout as US eyes market
Australian growers are raising biosecurity concerns as the United States steps closer to exporting apples to the Australian market.
In a bid to export apples to Australia, the United States is moving closer to establishing trade, according to a recent development. Australian apple growers are worried about the economic implications and the potential spread of exotic diseases, as the US is the world's second-largest apple-producing nation. The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is drafting conditions for the imports, but industry group Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) says the process is progressing.
APAL's general manager, Jeremy Griffith, expressed concern over the potential impact on Australian orchards, especially as the US has a significant surplus of apples. The main biosecurity concern is fire blight, a bacterial disease that has devastated apple orchards in the US, and the Australian government is unsure if its biosecurity system can prevent its entry.
As Australia relies heavily on locally grown apples, the influx of US apples could pose a direct threat to the nation's food security and apple industry.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
