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A banana war with Australia about to erupt
Philippines
Monday 23 May 2011
MD
Australian requirements are considered ridiculous by Filipino producers and as ways to protect the Australian banana industry.
Australian standards are considered ridiculous by the producers of bananas from the Philippines.
Under the pretext of protecting itself from insect pests and diseases that could attack its own banana industry, Australia has established a list of requirements and sanitary measures. Filipinos are able to comply to these regulations apart from two.
The first is the requirement that banana plants must have 8 leaves before harvest - Filipino growers prune their plants to 5 leaves, which they believe to be optimum. The second is the requirement to use non-perforated plastic wrapping.
For the Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA), these requirements have nothing to do with health problems are a trade barrier to protect the Australian banana industry.
source : malaya, philippine star
