Pineapple imports a rotten deal for Australian growers
The Australian pineapple industry is calling on the Federal Government not to approve proposed fresh pineapple imports from India and Indonesia, warning that unresolved biosecurity concerns could put domestic production and the broader pineapple supply chain at risk.
Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers (QFVG), representing the Australian pineapple industry, says important questions remain about the pests that could enter with imported fruit, whether proposed treatments will be effective and how Australia would respond if a pest became established.
QFVG CEO Scott Kompo-Harms said the potential consequences extended beyond the introduction of an exotic pest, with a serious incursion capable of affecting production, increasing business costs and placing pressure on the viability of Australia's pineapple industry.
“Biosecurity is fundamental to the future of Australian pineapple production. If a serious pest establishes here, the costs of managing it could be significant, and the consequences could extend across the industry,” Mr Kompo-Harms said.
“For a relatively small industry, an incursion could have a substantial impact on production and profitability, with flow-on effects for the businesses and jobs supported by Australian pineapple growing and processing.”
An independent review of the draft assessment has raised concerns about how key pests have been considered, whether pests could go undetected on imported fruit and whether proposed treatments would be effective under commercial conditions.
The review identified questions about pineapple mite, which was excluded from detailed assessment in the draft report, and mealybugs, which can hide in the deep crevices between pineapple fruitlets, making them difficult to detect through visual inspection.
It also raised concerns about Australia's ability to manage an incursion if a high-priority pest became established, including whether effective control measures and appropriate response plans would be available.
QFVG said proposed import conditions and treatments must be supported by evidence that they can deliver the required level of biosecurity protection in practice.
“Having a treatment listed in an import protocol is not enough. We need clear evidence that it will work under commercial conditions, that the controls can be verified and that there are effective plans in place if something goes wrong,” Mr Kompo-Harms said.
“The cost of an incursion is not limited to controlling a pest. It can also mean lost production, higher operating costs and disruption to the supply chain. Those risks need to be properly assessed before an import pathway is approved.”
Australia's pineapple industry comprises approximately 42 growers producing around 35 million pineapples annually, worth about $80 million. Queensland growers supply the Australian fresh pineapple market throughout the year.
Domestic production also supports employment and economic activity across harvesting, packing, transport, processing and other businesses connected to the industry. A serious biosecurity incursion could create additional costs and uncertainty across this supply chain, at a time when maintaining viable domestic production remains important.
QFVG is calling on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to address the outstanding biosecurity questions, demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed treatments and controls in exporting countries, and establish clear verification, compliance and emergency-response arrangements before any approval is granted.
“Consultation has now closed, but that does not mean the outstanding concerns have been resolved,” Mr Kompo-Harms said.
“The Government must properly consider the evidence and address the identified risks before making a decision. The potential economic consequences of a biosecurity failure are too significant to leave these questions unanswered.”
