Australian pineapple farmers are wary of the move to allow Indian and Indonesian pineapple imports. The fear arises from the introduction of invasive insect species to the local industry.
Pineapples are one of the top agricultural products from Queensland state. Majority of pineapples are consumed locally since growers cannot compete with cheaper pineapples from Asia and Central America.
The 60-day consultation process initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on pineapple imports has not been welcomed by the industry. Farmers fear that they may end up getting a bad deal that will be devastating.
Australia has strict biosecurity rules that protect the agricultural industry against pests and diseases. Farmers have concerns of the high risk of pest introduction and diseases despite biosecurity measures. Invasive species can bring about huge losses to the pineapple industry.
The pineapple industry contends that Australia should support safe and fair trade. Pineapple imports should only be allowed when final conditions are science based and biosecurity harm is avoided.
