Year: 2021

Information in this article is courtesy of Tom Flanagan / NSW Department of Primary Industries In the Australian banana industry, the word Panama is often used to describe one thing: the devastating Tropical race 4 (TR4). While Far North Queensland, home to 94% of Australian…

NSW COPS A DRENCHINGAt the time of going to print, residents, business owners and producers across New South Wales were still taking in the impact of a ‘one-in-100-year’ flood. As average monthly rainfall totals were smashed, floodwaters swept through claiming property, infrastructure and, in the worst…

Stewart Lindsay, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Banana producers in the Innisfail region severely affected by the cyclonic weather on 1 March will need to manage their crop cycling over the next few months to avoid a concentration of harvest when production returns.Experience with severe cyclone…

Growers in the Cassowary Coast are facing a long road to recovery after suffering catastrophic damage from a recent cyclonic storm. It could take some up to 12 months to return to full production and is another blow after battling ongoing worker shortages due to…

A new Industry Transition Leader has commenced building a framework for the future management of Panama TR4.  Geoff Wilson was recently appointed to forge a pathway for industry to continue the control and containment of Panama TR4 beyond 2023. He joins the Australian Banana Growers’ Council…

The Australian Banana Growers’ Council has farewelled Director Jade Buchanan, who has stepped down after more than three years of service to the Board. During that time, Ms Buchanan has been a valued member of the board, representing the interests of growers and contributing additional time…

In February this year, Western Australia’s Sweeter Banana Cooperative put out a simple call to action: buy all the local bananas you can. Perfect tropical conditions and a COVID-19 lockdown in Perth (coming right at the end of the summer school holidays) had led to…