More Sugarcane Smut Found
More sugarcane properties are now under quarantine.
The Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries announced today that Swift smut quarantine measures have been enacted on a further four additional Isis canegrower properties, including one north of the Elliott River, taking the total number of known-infected properties in Queensland to 12.
Approximately 50 properties have now been inspected by departmental inspectors.
“Our surveillance efforts have been very thorough to date, and the fact that we have found more infected properties is not a surprise,” the Minister said.
“Fortunately, our scientific tracings have shown that infected properties are connected in some way, whether it is through planting machinery or plant movement, which indicates this is still a controlled incursion.
“It’s very important that growers understand that more positive samples does not mean the smut is spreading.
“More identified infected properties means surveillance teams are uncovering samples that may have been in existence for some time.
“Forty people are currently on the ground carrying out inspections and a further 60 will be on-line by the end of the week.”
Mr Mulherin said that growers were receiving daily e-updates about sugarcane smut response efforts, ongoing surveillance, and information such as machinery decontamination processes.
