Queensland peanut growers are calling for the immediate destruction of suspect shipments of imported peanuts after learning that illegally imported raw peanuts are entering Australia unchecked[1] and could wipe out peanut production across the country.
Peanut growers, researchers and processors at a recent meeting in Kingaroy were aghast to learn that black market peanuts are freely flowing into Australia without intervention, despite the serious biosecurity and food safety risks involved.
While Australian growers operate under some of the world’s strictest biosecurity, traceability and food safety requirements, growers say illegal importers appear to be escaping scrutiny.
“Australian peanut growers are bound by endless rules and regulations, yet our government is turning a blind eye to people who ignore the rules and are knowingly trading in black market peanuts from who knows where” Childers peanut grower Chris Russo said.
The revelations follow recent calls for action from the Member for Maranoa, David Littleproud, who raised the alarm about potential biosecurity threats[2] posed by alleged illegal peanut imports.
Mr Littleproud said importers appear to be deliberately miscoding products on customs documentation to avoid biosecurity requirements.
“It appears that no-one has a clue where these black market peanuts were actually grown, how they were grown and how they’ve been handled since they were harvested” said Mr Russo.
“Yet our peanuts grown here in Childers have to have full traceability and every load is tested for potential food safety risks” said Mr Russo.
“Just because the dodgy paperwork says ‘Product of China’, how can anyone actually be certain where they really came from?” said Mr Russo.
“I’ve even heard rumours that these black market peanuts are landing in Australia and being re-packaged into bags that say “Product of Australia”” said Mr Russo “Yet the federal government seems to be doing nothing to stop this blatant flaunting of our laws and biosecurity standards”.
Leader of the Katter Australia Party, Robbie Katter, was in Kingaroy recently to speak at an industry forum and meet with affected growers and processors. Mr Katter is deeply concerned about the apparent breaches of Australia’s biosecurity and food safety protocols.
“Why do we bother having regulations to protect Australian growers if the Departments tasked with enforcing them just turn a blind eye?” Mr Katter said.
Of particular concern to Mr Katter is the industry-devastating impacts of plant diseases imported with untreated peanuts from overseas.
“I’m told Australia is one of the last countries free of some diseases, and instead of ramping up protections, it seems like our biosecurity system is asleep at the wheel,” the KAP leader said.
“Regional jobs, regional communities, and the future of Australia’s peanut industry are all on the line, but we’ve still got a chance to save a proud Australian industry if our government acts quickly to track down and destroy these illegal peanuts” said Mr Katter.
“In the last 40 years successive governments have participated in and overseen the demise of industry after industry, and increased prevalence of imported food in Australia. I and the KAP won’t keep quiet while the peanut industry is put to the slaughter by illegal imports,” said Mr Katter.
Kingaroy peanut grower, Peter Howlett, believes the importation of raw peanuts could wipe out the entire peanut production in Australia.
“The peanut industry is a core part of the Wide Bay Burnett’s $1.63 billion agricultural industry and supports hundreds of regional jobs, yet our government has not taken steps to stop black market peanuts from entering Australia” said Mr Howlett.
“Countries like Brazil and Argentina carry Peanut Smut, a devastating disease not present in Australia which can slash peanut yields between 40 and 70 per cent” Mr Howlett said.
“The government must act before the it’s too late. These black market raw peanuts need to be recalled and destroyed without delay” said Mr Howlett.
“Our government seems to be taking a very casual approach to biosecurity enforcement” Mr Howlett said.
“They don’t seem to understand that once an exotic disease enters Australia, the damage cannot simply be undone” Mr Howlett said.
“Growers are doing their part. We need the Federal Government to do its part and ensure Australia’s borders are adequately protecting our industries from preventable threats” said Mr Howlett.
