Category five cyclone devastates Australia's banana industry

Category five Cyclone Larry with 290km/h winds has caused more than 300 million Australian dollars (220 million U.S. dollars) of loss to the country's banana industry, Australian Banana Growers Council President Patrick Leahy said Monday.

Although there is not any report of deaths and serious injuries so far, Larry devastated the heart of the nation's biggest growing region located in the state of Queensland early Monday, according to Australian Associated Press.

The Australian Banana Growers Council said the storm had wrecked the industry, ruining 200,000 tons of fruit.

"The banana crop in north Queensland has been decimated, probably between 90 and 100 percent of the total crop is on the ground," Leahy was quoted as saying.

Leahy said with total production estimated to be worth 380 million dollars (280 million U.S. dollars) and 400 million dollars (296 million U.S. dollars) for the year, the cyclone had destroyed as much as 350 million dollars (260 million U.S. dollars) in produce.

He said it was the worst cyclone damage to crops he had seen in 16 years as a grower and the storm would have a huge and immediate impact on jobs.

"There's going to be 3,000 or 4,000 unemployed within the next week," he said.

Australia does not allow banana imports because of the biosecurity risks in doing so.

Source: Xinhua