Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1996-08-15
Assuming the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries is concerned with the interests of all sections of the horticulture industry, and having known for 3 years of the presence of the fungus fusarium in heliconias and having regard to the fact that heliconias and bananas belong to the same musoid family, what is the Department of Primary Industry and
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Fisheries doing to prevent the spread of fusarium to the banana industry from the heliconia industry, which can easily happen?
ANSWER
It is a good question, Mr Speaker, and one that has taxed my mind for many months. I am not familiar with the fungus to which the honourable member refers. However, if it is a threat to the banana industry in the Northern Territory, it would be of some concern to my department. In recent times, interest in the banana industry in the Northern Territory has increased dramatically. If honourable members care to look at the developments at Lambells Lagoon, they will see several hundred hectares of land being put to bananas. The Top End has some specific advantages in that it is free from a couple of major banana pests found in the states. Consequently, the industry does not have to employ the pest management regimes that are required in the north Queensland industry. As a result, the Territory has fairly clear access to the huge Japanese organically-grown market. I understand at least one Japanese company is looking to source up to a million boxes of bananas from Darwin each year.
Banana growers from Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia come here regularly, assessing the opportunities. This government will continue to release land for horticultural production. Let me restate that the potential for bananas in this part of the world is enormous, and gives us great hope for the future.. It has been ascertained that the growing conditions here are at least the equivalent of those in Honduras. I expect that, within the medium term, the total value of production in the banana industry will exceed that in the mango industry. I undertake to find out from my department the position in relation to this fungus.
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Fisheries doing to prevent the spread of fusarium to the banana industry from the heliconia industry, which can easily happen?
ANSWER
It is a good question, Mr Speaker, and one that has taxed my mind for many months. I am not familiar with the fungus to which the honourable member refers. However, if it is a threat to the banana industry in the Northern Territory, it would be of some concern to my department. In recent times, interest in the banana industry in the Northern Territory has increased dramatically. If honourable members care to look at the developments at Lambells Lagoon, they will see several hundred hectares of land being put to bananas. The Top End has some specific advantages in that it is free from a couple of major banana pests found in the states. Consequently, the industry does not have to employ the pest management regimes that are required in the north Queensland industry. As a result, the Territory has fairly clear access to the huge Japanese organically-grown market. I understand at least one Japanese company is looking to source up to a million boxes of bananas from Darwin each year.
Banana growers from Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia come here regularly, assessing the opportunities. This government will continue to release land for horticultural production. Let me restate that the potential for bananas in this part of the world is enormous, and gives us great hope for the future.. It has been ascertained that the growing conditions here are at least the equivalent of those in Honduras. I expect that, within the medium term, the total value of production in the banana industry will exceed that in the mango industry. I undertake to find out from my department the position in relation to this fungus.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016