FARM WEEKLY | Container levy: industry pushes for more importer tax to share biosecurity load

Detection of khapra beetle in imported products this month has reignited calls from farmer representative groups to have a container levy in place to contribute to biosecurity response capability.

If established in Australia, khapra beetle is estimated to cost the industry over $15billion over 20 years.

Among the groups calling for the container levy to bolster funds for future potential responses was NSWFarmers and Victorian Farmers Federation.

National grain producer representative group Grain Producers Australia did not comment due to its official involvement in the Khapra beetle detection response, but has previously supported the concept in federal submissions on biosecurity topics.

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