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Diseased fruit cuts supply
7 Jul 2004
More than 1,000 citrus trees on a Central Highlands orchard will be bulldozed and burned after authorities found citrus canker, which threatens Queensland's $100 million mandarin and orange industry. The discovery on the property near Emerald has closed all interstate markets to Queensland growers until it's determined whether the disease has spread to other properties.
No fruit can be moved from Emerald farms and orchards in the Central Burnett growing areas of Gayndah and Mundubbera are also being checked.
Growers have confronted the State Agriculture Minister demanding action. Millions of dollars are at stake while access to southern markets is denied. The culprit property was investigated three years ago by AQIS for a suspected disease outbreak which turned out to be a virus, but not a citrus canker.
The Courier-Mail, 7/7/04.
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