Canker update – EU exports maintained

Canker update – EU exports maintained

27 July 2018

Citrus Australia’s David Daniels has been working alongside the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to maintain Australia’s citrus trade with the European Union.

Citrus-growing regions outside the canker exclusion zone have now been recognised as “areas of freedom” meaning that, for those areas, trade can continue as normal.

“Australia is currently able to claim the absence of all types of citrus cankers,” said Nathan Hancock, CEO, Citrus Australia.

“This is because the current incident is limited in its distribution to the NT and WA and is under an official national eradication program. This is important in terms of maintaining access to export markets for our citrus industry.”

Update on detections

There are still a limited number of canker-infected premises, with eleven in the Northern Territory and three in northern Western Australia – all linked to the original outbreak. Between the NT and WA more than 12,000 plants have been destroyed and disposed of.

Surveillance has shown that infected plants remain limited to those supplied from a single site in Darwin. There has been no spread from these infected plants to other host plants.

Other states have also conducted surveillance and testing. In total, around 7,000 traces have been investigated across Australia, and no canker has been found.

“Tracing and surveillance activities located these new sites and these activities are ongoing,” said Nathan. “The Australian Government has deployed staff to the response, in particular to address uniform approaches to the tracing and surveillance methodology as well as communication.

“Three national working groups are tasked with reviewing the strategy, tracing and surveillance methods respectively – the Australian Government is leading each of these groups.

“Eradication of canker has been achieved in past outbreaks and is deemed feasible in this instance.”

Additional resources

• Exotic Plant Pest Hotline, 1800 084 881
• Citrus canker fact sheet (Plant Health Australia)
• More industry canker updates from Citrus Australia