September 9, 2018
South Burnett persimmon growers may welcome a new trade agreement finalised this week with Thailand.
Agriculture Minister and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said the agreement – which covers the way persimmons are treated for export – would provide better access for Queensland growers to Thai markets.
The agreement means persimmons can now be irradiated for export, providing a faster, safe and chemical-free way to manage biosecurity.
Prior to this, persimmons could only be exported to Thailand under cold treatment.
“This agreement will help open doors for the Queensland persimmon farmers and deliver speed to market,” Mr Littleproud said.
“To irradiate, the fruit goes into a giant chamber by conveyor belt and the fruit is sterilised, killing bacteria and pests, in this case the pesky fruit fly.
“With this deal done and dusted, we can get on to tackling other commodities and get them on this same pathway.
“This will help get our quality produce on to Thailand supermarket shelves faster.
“Thailand is a prominent Asian leader and by working together to open this trade pathway we’re hopeful other Asian countries will follow the example.”
