AUSVEG has announced its intention to consult with the horticulture industry to raise the Emergency Plant Pest Response levies for vegetable and fresh potato industries across Australia to fund contributions to the management response to the tomato potato psyllid.
Following notification to the industry and after an objection period, Ausveg intends to request to the government for an increase of the vegetable EPPR levy from zero per cent to a positive rate of 0.01pc of the value at point of sale, and an increase in the fresh potato EPPR to a positive rate of 10 cents a tonne at the point of sale.
The vegetable and fresh potato industries’ EPPR levies were put in place in 2012 following extensive industry consultation to provide a mechanism for the vegetable and fresh potatoes industries to fund preparedness and eradication activities to reduce the threat of exotic pest plants.
They are currently set at the rate of zero per cent for vegetables and zero cents per tonne for fresh potatoes, both at the first point of sale.
TPP was detected in WA in February and has been detected in multiple locations in the state, with the majority in the Perth metropolitan area, which causes zebra chip in potatoes.
At this stage, TPP has only been detected in WA.
Ausveg chief executive officer James Whiteside said the industry had never had to deal with TPP before.
“Federal and state governments are making a significant contribution to this response,” he said.
Mr Whiteside said the estimated contributions a year for vegetable growers were $10 for small farms, $45 for medium farms and $300 a year for large farms
For potato growers it is estimated $5 a year for small farms, $50 for medium farms and $500 a year for large farms.