Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 7:58:38 to 8:02:50
Discussion on how the national food security strategy addresses vulnerabilities in the banana supply chain, import reliance, and the variety of bananas grown in the Philippines.
Topics: Food security, Trade policy, Biosecurity
Speakers: Dr Peter Finnin, Senator Susan McDonald, Miss Victoria Anderson, Senator Glenn Sterle, Unknown Speaker
>> So who would look at both the economic analysis of the benefit of having a strong banana industry in Australia and of course this the secondary part is the food security element. Should we have uh supply routes impacted, we've we've, you know, shut down or abolished most of the banana growers in Australia should there be highly competitive cheaper imports. Um we then aren't able to access bananas because of a supply chain disruption. Who would assess would does anybody assess the potential impacts on food security in Australia? Um so I would
suggest that certainly some of those things are things that could appropriately be considered through the food security strategy. Um and I guess more broadly from a trade point of view I mean as we've I think discussed today already um you know Australia is a net exporter of agricultural produce. So part of engaging in this um process where we undertake uh risk assessments um to consider uh the market access requests from our trading partners is part of us also then expecting and getting good buyin from our trading partners in them assessing our agricultural commodities for exports. So um it's part of our broader approach to trade and the fact that we are reliant on you know having good access to multiple markets around the world to be able to sell agricultural produce and part of that equation is we also need to engage with um things like this risk assessment. Um and then undertaking the risk assessment um we set our own appropriate level of protection. If at the end of that risk assessment we conclude that it can't be done safely then that's the answer but we have engaged with the WTO um expectations and commitments that we've made as a signature to the sanitary and phytoenary agreement uh and the benefits that then acrru to Australia for engaging with that and being us being seen as a reliable and safe trading partner. I I
appreciate that that free trade element but you know as a small population that's uh geographically isolated from uh other parts of the world there is a risk element that um it's it's not only the jobs and the industry and the expertise but also what happens if supply chains are significantly cut and we actually find ourselves without bananas would be
>> absolutely Senator absolutely hear you and as I say I think there are other avenues for exploring some of those issues when it comes to the biocurity risk assessment, I have to focus specifically on that biocurity part of
>> Uh so so we should um the the food security is
>> the food security strategy is being developed. Um it's was discussed under outcome one senator. So, so the the sorts of things that we'll that we'll consider are the the the production the production of all all food in the country and and what is sort of what are the dependencies and and vulnerabilities I guess in in that. So >> um [clears throat] obviously we're looking at it a relatively high level but um you know the fact that we're reliant on imports for a particular thing for example or that we want something onshore and available to us would both both of those sort of scenarios would be relevant factors in considering the food security strategy.
>> Okay. So somebody in the department or watching has just made a mental note to include bananas on that list. I appreciate that. >> Um thank you chair if you could come
just quickly just because this has been around for years this banana thing from >> Do the Philippines grow these big beautiful yellow things that we got here? Are they the same sort of bananas? >> Only cuz I know what a banana is in barley when I'm at you know and um pretty ugly little thing but
>> So the principal variety of banana that we grow here in Australia is the Cavendish banana. Um, and that makes up about 50% of the Philippine production is bananas. Yes, they they also do have a whole range of other varieties that we don't see in Australia. Um, but yes, they produce 50% of their production, excuse me, is Cavendish banana, which is the banana variety we grow here.
>> Thank you, doctor. Um, yeah, Senator Scarr,