PHL banana growers complain anew of Australia’s restrictions

Philippine banana growers may bring their differences with Australia before the dispute settlement body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) if they are unable to convince Canberra to relax its restrictions on imported bananas. The Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) said their members might be able to meet most of Australia’s food security standards. But Biosecurity Australia has two requirements, which the group said they cannot hurdle. “It is quite impossible for growers to comply with the requirement that the banana tree should have eight leaves prior to harvest and that non-perforated plastic bags should be used to pack the product," PBGEA executive director Stephen Antig said, Banana growers and exporters explained that they do not use non-perforated plastic bags because this type of bag has adverse effects on the ripening and quality of bananas. The requirement on the number of leaves is also a challenge because the standard in the Philippines is five leaves. The Philippines has a pending case on bananas filed in October 2002 before the WTO. The Advisory Centre on WTO Law, an intergovernmental law firm for developing countries, represents the country in that case. — ELR/VS, GMA News