Last month, the Australian government decided that the country can now import Cavendish bananas from the Philippines.
The decision made through Biosecurity Australia, the Commonwealth’s agency responsible for undertaking science-based, quarantine-related risk analyses called Import Risk Analyses (IRA), has opened up a market that Philippine banana growers have sought to enter since 1995.
In its determination statement, Biosecurity said banana imports from the Philippines may be permitted subject to phytosanitary measures. These measures according to the determination are designed to limit quarantine risk to an acceptably low level which would assure protection to Australia.
Biosecurity further stated:
A detailed operational work plan between Australia and the Philippines will now be developed. This will need to be approved by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service before any import permits for bananas from the Philippines into Australia will be considered.
The operational work plan is yet to be developed. Nevertheless, the Australian government’s decision had, according to reports, “sparked an angry backlash among Australian growers and has become a campaign issue in the Queensland election.”
Last week, it was also reported that Australia’s national carrier, Qantas, was severely criticised for serving Philippine bananas on some international flights.
Qantas, according to reports, may be facing a boycott from Australian banana growers on account of this in-flight menu. As of this writing, we have not seen a public statement issued by Qantas in this regard.
Whilst we understand the position of Australian growers, in our view the current mood of not allowing Philippine banana imports into the country despite the issuance of a determination now focuses on the extent of reliance that can be placed on Biosecurity, and on the effectiveness of Australian quarantine measures, in being able to provide quarantine border protection to the country.
During the more than 10 years of fight over Philippine banana imports, and even to the present, Biosecurity’s role has never been an easy one to say the least.
As Mr Ian Macdonald, NSW minister for Primary Industries, said: “Biosecurity Australia (is) walking very fine line on Philippine banana import decision.”
We have been following, and reporting, the story of Philippine banana imports since the then Philippine Ambassador to Australia Delia Albert informed the Filipino-Australian community about the import prospect many many years ago. During that period, we noted the series of reports and consultations done by Biosecurity. At some points, we too began to get exasperated for the long wait.
But Biosecurity has finally made a determination last month following an independent Eminent Scientists Group review conclusion that “all stakeholder comments had been properly considered in the preparation of the final IRA report.”
Philippine bananas in your local green grocer?
Let us not expect Philippine bananas to be on the market yet. It may still be a long way before cavendish bananas hit our local green grocer’s shelf.
Biosecurity’s determination is not the end of the struggle of Philippine banana exporters to enter the Australian market.
It is a public knowledge that Australia’s quarantine border protection is very strict. Even if Philippine banana growers can now export to Australia, still they need to meet the strict requirements of Australia’s quarantine measures before they will receive a permit.
The question now is: Can Philippine growers meet Australia’s rigid quarantine measures?
Even if they can, will they over the long term be able to sustain the economic viability of their exports in the Australian market? After factoring these additional quarantine-related costs, how competitive will Philippine bananas be vis-a-viz Australian produce?
Sydney Morning Herald once quoted Agriculture Minister Tony Burke saying that -
‘the decision to allow Filipino bananas into the country in no way jeopardises Australia’s quarantine standards.’
‘The Philippines will be subject to strict inspections from Australian officials on the ground and if growers don’t like the strict regulations then it would essentially be their problem.’
We know this is stating the obvious, but the issue of Philippine banana imports is a question of economics: of dollars and cents, or of Philippine pesos and centavos.
Even the matter of Qantas reportedly serving Philippine bananas boils down to economics. If true, it’s a case of a business resorting to cost-effective sources of supply.
The biggest threat to Australian growers is not so much of Philippine banana imports successfully entering the local market, but the prospect of other world’s banana exporters like Ecuador and Colombia consequently coming into play.
What do you think? Leave me your comments.
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