Australia remains an elusive market for RP banana exports

Philippine banana exporters continue to face tremendous odds in their long bid to pry open the elusive Australian market.

This year, the Australian Banana Growers Council (ABGC) is expected to push hard for its members to approve a proposed alternative national banana levy proposal based on a cents per carton model.

In the ABGC website, its president Patrick Leahy said the board will develop a fresh levy proposal that would facilitate the collection of 22 cents per carton, with 15 cents directed to promotion and seven cents to research. The proposed fund will also set aside a plant protection emergency fund that will be channeled into any future pest or disease eradication campaign.

The new levy is being pushed as an alternative to an earlier proposal for a 1.2-percent ad valorem levy that was rejected late last year by a majority of ABGC members.

Leahy noted that there is a strong groundswell for the alternative levy and the ABGC will be collaborating closely with concerned government authorities to have the mandatory levy among its members approved this year.

The approval of the levy will have far-reaching implications for Philippine banana exporters who have been trying to convince Australia to finally allow imports of fresh bananas.

Biosecurity Australia (BA), an agency which assesses import risks of imported agricultural commodities, said recently that the approval of the Philippines’ bid to enter the Australian market depends on the results of the review now being conducted by a team looking into risks fresh Philippine bananas pose to Australian banana farms.

The BA team has thrice visited several banana plantations in Davao, the largest banana producer in the country and wanted another visit before coming up with its final import risk analysis (IRA) report.

BA said earlier it will take into account all scientific and technical issues raised in the stakeholder submissions while preparing the next draft of the IRA that will be circulated to stakeholders for comment.

Since the 1990s, Australia had repeatedly thwarted attempts by the Philippines to bring its tropical fruits to Australian ports.

The BA cited possible transmission and spread of banana diseases like Black Sigatoka, Moko, freckles and mealy bugs.

The Philippines had filed a protest before the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Australia for banning Philippine mangoes, pineapples and bananas. Australia only allows limited entry of canned mangoes from the Philippines and only started to allow fresh pineapples last year.

The Philippines and Australia are both members of the Cairns Group, which has emerged as a power bloc in the WTO.

While belonging to the same group, the Philippines accused Australia of blocking its farm exports by imposing austere quarantine and sanitary and phyto-sanitary requirements.