AU: Plan in place for Territory melon producers

Katherine watermelon producers crippled by the outbreak of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus could be producing interim crops on Northern Territory government-owned land in the not-too-distant future under a proactive plan to keep them financially viable during growing bans on their own properties.

Growers in quarantine zones in the region have been banned from planting watermelon crops for up to two years following the discovery of the disease in plants and fruit in September.

On the back of this month’s Northern Australia Food Futures Conference, Primary Industry and Fisheries Minister Willem Westra van Holthe said the government was investigating options to allow producers whose properties were inside quarantine areas to grow melons during the ban.

One of the ideas involves giving growers access to land owned by the government.

“We’re considering alternate land where they might be able to grow melon crops … and readjusting some of the water licensing in the region,” he explained.

“We’re providing introductions to private land owners where we can, but we’re certainly not ruling out the use of government land in the short term to get farmers over this difficult period.

“I certainly hope that the melon industry returns to a position better than it currently is.”

Source: northqueenslandregister.com.au