Australian Banana Crop Wiped Out

SYDNEY - Mar 21/06 - SNS -- Australian banana industry representatives are looking for help from the country's federal government after crops in the state of Queensland were virtually wiped out by the worst cyclone to hit the region in over a century.

Australian Banana Growers' Council President Patrick Leahy said Cyclone Larry caused a 100% crop loss in the Tully and Innisfail areas, about 95% loss on the Atherton Tableland and about 80% loss in the Kennedy area south of Cardwell.

There is no crop insurance available for banana plantations, only for farm buildings, therefore the industry is facing a huge financial and personal struggle to return production to its previous levels of 21 million cartons (about 250,000 metric tons or MT or about 1.3 billion bananas).

"The majority of Australian bananas are grown in tropical north Queensland, so this is a complete disaster for our industry," Mr Leahy said.

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