Aus food security crisis as spring fruit + veg crop seedlings poisoned: Sept+ shortage
Admin | October 13, 2010
More than 7 million fruit and vegetable seedlings were poisoned and police believe a herbicide was injected into the irrigation system at two Bowen nurseries….. Almost two weeks ago….. It is the fourth poisoning incident in the last eight years. Producers say the poisoning attack has wiped out the capacity to grow more than 16000 tonnes of produce, including tomatoes, within the next two months. Most of this produce would have been distributed to supermarkets across the country and New Zealand and Vanuatu….. Fruit and vegetable producers say the poisoning of millions of seedlings in the north will impact prices in Australia and overseas….. www.abc.net.au Police in Australia are investigating the poisoning of seven million vegetable seedlings, including tomatoes, aubergines and melons. Detectives believe a herbicide was injected into the irrigation system at a nursery in northern Queensland. The Australian farm minister described the poisoning at a Queensland nursery - the fourth such incident in eight years - as “sabotage”. Farmers and analysts say the price of vegetables will increase as a result….. news.bbc.co.uk Mystery poisoning threatens NQ tomato crop - Initial investigations show a herbicide was released into the irrigation system of Bowen’s Supa Seedlings nursery and poisoned around five million seedlings, mostly tomato plants. Police were notified after the seedlings began dying between Sunday morning and Friday afternoon last week….. A Growcom …
