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[abgc_ebulletin_title title=”Growers vote in favour of ballot” tag_type=”h4″ show_hr=”true”]

Australian banana growers have backed the proposed increase to their industry levy.

The results of the national vote to increase the Plant Health Australia (PHA) levy have now been released by the independent ballot administrator. The administrator declared that 55 per cent of the national production area was represented in the votes, and of those votes, 84 per cent were in favour of an increased levy.

When the levy regulation is implemented, the PHA levy will move from the current rate of 0.0103 cents per kilogram to 0.5 cents per kilogram.

Australian Banana Grower’s Council (ABGC) Chair Doug Phillips thanked those growers who voted.

“The vote to increase the ballot is the first step in the process to cease production and secure the Panama TR4 infected farm at Tully,” Mr Phillips said.

“The increased levy was one of the conditions of the sales agreement and ABGC anticipates other matters in that process will be sorted out within the next month,” he said.

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