January 17, 2007

Australia gives green signal to feed grain imports
 

Australia's quarantine authorities have given the go-ahead for feed grain imports from two South American countries provided conditions were met.

Australia might have to import feed grain owing to grain shortage due to drought.

Biosecurity Australia (BA) has for the first time approved Argentina and Paraguay as potential sources of feed grain.

Feed grain users can now apply for import permits for maize, sunflower, sorghum, soybean and wheat from Argentina, and for soybean from Paraguay.

However, imported grain would have to be processed in metropolitan areas after arriving in Australia. This would involve hammer milling and steam treatment to make sure any dangerous pathogens and pests still in the grain are killed off.

BA last year approved wheat imports from the UK and Canada, and sorghum and maize from selected sites in the US, subject to the same quarantine conditions.

The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service is yet to receive applications in this regard. Officials feel feed grain users could be waiting to see how the sorghum crop turns out before turning to imports.