It said that the levy would provide the Australian Melon Association (AMA) with funds for research and development, to be matched by the Federal Government. It would also sign the group up to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Levy and give them a say in any future pest or disease incursions in the industry.

In an interview with ABC, Northern Territory watermelon grower and AMA committee member, Stewart Younghusband, said he had accepted, with some reluctance, that a levy was needed.

The levy has been revised down 0.1 cents per kilogram from an initial proposal to 0.4 cents per kilogram of all produce sold.

As the AMA is not a signatory to the Emergency Plant Pest Response Levy, the group was not involved in the decision to place quarantine zones around Northern Territory farms after the outbreak of the Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus.

Younghusband said despite the proposed Emergency Plant Pest Response Levy initially to be set at zero, it was important for growers to support it. He felt support for the levy had become more widespread across Northern Territory melon growers.

Voting on the levy continues until 6 November.

Source: abc.net.au