MEDIA RELEASE
April 9, 2015
SECOND CASE OF TR4 EMPHASISES NEED FOR TOP-LEVEL BIOSECURITY EFFORT
A detection of the banana plant fungus Panama tropical race 4 (TR4) on a second North
Queensland banana farm has further emphasised the need for every assistance to be provided to
the banana industry to help contain the disease.
The banana industry’s peak body, the Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC), said it would
now further accelerate discussions with state and federal government agencies to ensure sufficient
resources were made available for the TR4 response.
ABGC Chairman Doug Phillips said the ABGC was working closely with Biosecurity Queensland
and was also in discussions with other biosecurity and plant health agencies as well as state and
federal Agriculture Ministers.
The second detection was made on a farm near Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands, one of North
Queensland’s major banana growing regions. Mareeba is about 180 kilometres by road from the
site of the first detection, on a farm in another major growing region, the Tully Valley.
“It’s now been five weeks since the first case of TR4 was announced and there continues to be an
intensive effort from Biosecurity Queensland, the ABGC and our banana growers to ensure we find
any other infections in our growing regions,” Mr Phillips said.
“Confirmation of a second case of TR4 is extremely difficult news for our industry, and devastating
news for the grower whose farm is affected. However, if there are TR4 infections on banana farms
we need to know about them and we must continue to make every effort to locate and contain all
cases of this plant disease.
“The ABGC has two major priorities, firstly to work with and support the growers from the two
affected farms and, secondly, to make sure all our other growers gain every assistance in their
efforts to contain this disease.”
Mr Phillips said both TR4 detections had been made after growers reported finding unhealthy
banana plants on their farms. “On behalf of everyone in the banana industry, we thank all growers
for reporting plants that appear to have TR4 symptoms and ask them to continue to do so. We also
thank Biosecurity Queensland for their continuing activities, including surveillance and plant
testing.”
Mr Phillips said banana production and supply were continuing as usual from North Queensland
banana farms with only two of 280 farms affected. TR4 affects only banana plants, not fruit, and all
fruit being supplied comes from healthy plants.
Growers are urged to protect their property by:
 using good on-farm biosecurity practices including ensuring the use of clean planting
material such as tissue culture plants
 not sharing farm machinery and equipment with other growers
 removing all plant material and soil from all machinery, equipment, vehicles and footwear
before entry to their property.
Unit 3, South Gate East Commercial Centre 250 Sherwood Road ROCKLEA QLD 4106
PO Box 309 BRISBANE MARKET QLD 4106
Tel: 07 3278 4786 Fax: 07 3278 4938
Web: www.abgc.org.au
MEDIA RELEASE
If you suspect Panama disease on your plants, report it immediately to Biosecurity Queensland on
13 25 23.
The ABGC will continue to provide updates to banana growers, other industry members and
banana-growing communities. For more information, see the ABGC website www.abgc.org.au and
Facebook page.
For more information:
Rhyll Cronin
Communications Manager
Tel: 07 3278 4786
Mob: 0428 038 330
Unit 3, South Gate East Commercial Centre 250 Sherwood Road ROCKLEA QLD 4106
PO Box 309 BRISBANE MARKET QLD 4106
Tel: 07 3278 4786 Fax: 07 3278 4938
Web: www.abgc.org.au