ECONOMIC RECOVERY NEW FOCUS FOR SMUT RESPONSE

An independent economist has been selected to chair a team established today to assess the impacts of the spread of sugarcane smut on the industry and identify measures to manage the problem and facilitate economic recovery.

Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said the State Government and industry had agreed that Dr David Watson would head the team which will provide an interim response by December 18, 2006, and a final report by February 18, 2007.

The decision followed scientific confirmation this morning that smut disease exists in six out of 10 blocks of sugarcane on a farm north of Mackay.

Mr Mulherin said that confirmation meant Queensland has a “multi point incursion” of smut, instead of having a single incursion, at Isis.

“What this means is we are no longer addressing the problem as a biosecurity eradication and containment program centred on the Bundaberg-Isis area.

“We now move to an economic recovery focus to deal with this established and widespread disease,” Mr Mulherin said.

“However, it is important for the industry to know that the Queensland Government will honour its commitment to pay $2000 per hectare to those Bundaberg-Isis growers who were offered this payment for voluntary removal of their infested crops.

“We will pay them if they choose to go down that path, but we are also acknowledging today that they can choose instead to retain and harvest the crop. The growers involved must weigh up the options and make the decision.”

A planned technical group meeting at Bundaberg on Monday will now look at the implications of the new strategic direction for the smut response for the local industry.

Dr Watson’s team will include representatives of Canegrowers, BSES Limited, the Australian Sugar Milling Council and the Departments of Primary Industries and Fisheries, State Development and Trade, Premier and Cabinet, Treasury and a place on the team will be available to the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The team will report to Mr Mulherin and the Minister for State Development and Trade, John Mickel.

Sugarcane smut is a highly infectious disease that can seriously reduce yields. The fungus is harmless to humans and animals, so does not affect processed sugar.

However, with the move to an economic focus, growers will be encouraged to speed up their transition to smut resistant cane varieties.

To assist growers, surveillance will continue around the state because the early detection of smut in a region may influence the transition program.

According to Alf Cristaudo, Chairman of peak sugarcane group, CANEGROWERS, the suspect smut at Farleigh, north of Mackay, was identified by a grower during a routine inspection on his cane property.

“The sighting was immediately reported to the local productivity group and analysis turned over to BSES and DPI&F.

“The only truly effective measure against the impact of smut, which reduces productivity in a cane plant until it finally kills it, is to replace susceptible varieties with those with high levels of resistance to the disease,” Mr Cristaudo said.

“It is unfortunate for the State’s cane growers that in some cases, varieties with higher levels of resistance tend to be characterised by reduced productivity.”

Mr Cristaudo said there is no evidence to suggest that smut has escaped the Bundaberg Childers quarantined area. A definitive identification of the source of the original incursion has not been made to date. Likewise, it is unlikely that the source of this latest find will be able to be traced.

All sugar districts, including Mackay, have already developed sugarcane smut response plans.

Mr Mulherin and the Director-General of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Jim Varghese, will be amongst speakers at a meeting tomorrow with Mackay area sugar industry representatives.

Media:David Potter 32396530