US Apple Growers Gain Access to Australia, Local Farmers Sound Biosecurity Alarm

A worker arranges apples for sale at a market in Melbourne, Australia, on July 27, 2022. AAP Image/Joel Carrett

After over 20 years of lobbying, the United States has been granted permission to export apples to Australia, but local farmers have raised concerns over the biosecurity risks.

The decision was made after the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry published its final report for the risk analysis of commercially importing apples from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho on Oct. 31.

It found 20 pests were associated with apples grown in these areas and therefore required relevant risk management measures.

These pests include apple maggots, flat scarlet mites, codling moths, and speck rot, as well as three pests that Australia is currently free of—apple leaf curling midge, fire blight, and European canker.

Apple and Pear Australia (APAL), the national peak industry body for apple and pear growers, said the final report addressed some of the industry concerns that emerged in response to the draft report.

Despite this improvement, APAL still does not support the importation of U.S. apples due to substantial biosecurity risks.

“Given the recent biosecurity incursions, including Varroa mite and Brown marmorated stink bug, plus the increased threat of foot-and-mouth disease and Lumpy Skin Disease, any further work to allow the importation of U.S. apples should be halted,” APAL CEO Phil Turnbull told The Epoch Times in a statement.

“Until the government can guarantee that the right measures are in place to protect Australia’s biosecurity, the government should stop the process to allow the import of U.S. apples to Australia.”

Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples sit on a stall at a fruit store in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 11, 2013. AAP Image/Paul Miller

Won’t Make Much Difference: Minister

Tim Ayres, the assistant minister for trade, said it would be “illogical” as a trading nation to fight for agricultural exports in other countries while not following the rules on Australia’s own apple imports.

“I can just tell you that there is a very small amount of apple imports that make their way into Australia,” he told ABC radio. “The industry’s worth about half a billion dollars (US$325 million). There’s about $5 million worth of apples that come in from around the world.”

He added that the country would apply its extremely strict biosecurity rules on apple imports from the three American states.

“The Australian apple industry is very strong. One of its key strengths is its disease-free status,” Ayres said. “It is protected by strong biosecurity rules and the preferences of Australian consumers.”

“There’s a tiny percentage of overseas apples in the market. This won’t make much of a difference.”

Nicole Giblett, a major apple producer from Western Australia, said she hoped Australians would continue to support their local farmers.

“We’re already in an industry that’s in a state of massive oversupply domestically, with huge volumes yet to come,” she told the ABC. “There’s an apple to suit every taste, every palette—I don’t think we need any more.”

Ayres believes more attention should be given to the opportunities around exporting Australian apples. The industry currently exports around one to two percent of total market production.

“We’ve got to get better as a country at value adding to our fruit and vegetables, and we’ve got to get better at marketing our fruit and vegetables to the world,” he said.