Seed industry warns of costs for farmers as Australia boosts biosecurity to combat melon disease outbreak

The Federal Department of Agriculture has announced it's stepping up biosecurity measures to prevent further incursions of the plant disease, Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV).
Audio: The Federal Agriculture Department has stepped up Australia's biosecurity protocols, but the seed industry warns it could hurt Australian growers (ABC Rural)

The virus, which originated overseas, has devastated the Territory's melon industry since first appearing on a farm near Katherine last month, leading to the quarantine of several properties in the region and also a farm near Darwin.

CGMMV affects members of the cucurbit family, like pumpkins, zucchinis, squashes, melons and cucumbers.

ABC Rural revealed that until the outbreak of CGMMV in Australia, there was no biosecurity method in place to screen cucurbit seeds coming into Australia for the virus, despite the damage it's already done to horticulture industries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, some parts of the USA, and Canada.

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