Hopes remain dim for export of RP bananas to Australia

Australia may not allow entry of Philippine bananas even after initial assurance from the Australian government that its food trade safety group Biosecurity Australia was on track to produce a draft import risk assessment (IRA) on locally produced bananas, a top government official who requested anonymity disclosed yesterday.

"It seems Australia will still not allow entry of Philippine bananas to its territory even after initial assurance from the Australian government," the source said.

Australian banana growers have been intensely lobbying against the entry of Philippine bananas into Australia.

Australia bans imports of Philippine bananas because of the existence in the Southeast Asian country of five diseases collectively know as the Black Plague.

Biosecurity Australia also recently identified 22 pests and diseases in the Philippines, of quarantine concern.

The Philippines sees the ban as a non-tariff barrier and links it to wider trade issues, a claim rejected by Australia.

Earlier, Agriculture Undersecretary Ernesto Ordonez said if Australia delayed issuing the IRA or if it set unfair conditions, the government could take its case to the World Trade Organization (WTO), while private importers could stop importing Australia dairy goods.

Philippine imports from Australia amounted to A$1.5 billion in 2001 while Australian purchases from the Philippines amounted to only A$512 million.

Dairy products are Australia’s biggest exports to the Philippines.