AS KATHERINE melon growers gear up to plant their first crop in more than 12 months, the virus that crippled the $60 million industry has been detected at the Northern Territory government’s high-profile research facility in Darwin.
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The government announced on January 13 that two areas at the Berrimah Research Farm had been quarantined after positive tests for cucumber green mottle mosaic virus were returned.
In December, embattled growers were given an early Christmas present with the news that quarantine restrictions imposed after the 2014 outbreak would be lifted in early 2016.
Despite the latest outbreak at the facility, Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries acting chief executive Ian Curnow said the NT melon industry was still set for a revival.
“This detection will not affect the ability of NT growers to trade produce interstate or the arrangement to lift quarantine for NT growers in late February 2016,” he said.
He added that an independent consultant would be called in to run a fine-tooth comb over the biosecurity measures at the Berrimah Research Farm as staff continued to work on determining how the CGMMV had spread.
“An independent investigator will be appointed to examine DPIF’s biosecurity policies and procedures following this detection,” he said.
“Industry and relevant stakeholders will have input into developing the terms of reference for this investigation.
Mr Curnow said all melons and cucurbits grown at the Berrimah Research Farm were subject to regular CGMMV testing, a process which identified the outbreak before Christmas.
“We know that the seedlings grown on this site tested negative for CGMMV in October last year, which means we can narrow the focus of the investigation to within the last quarter of 2015,” he said.
“As soon as we had a suspicion of CGMMV, we immediately implemented full quarantine restrictions around the two areas and we destroyed all effected plant material by spraying.”
