APPLE growers will ask Agriculture Minister Tony Burke to tighten proposed quarantine restrictions for the importation of Chinese apples.
An Import Risk Analysis Appeals Panel this month rejected appeals from Apple and Pear Australia Limited and the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation on the grounds that the panel does not consider matters "relating to the scientific merits of the import risk analysis".
The panel also refused to consider three other submissions on Biosecurity Australia's Provisional Final Import Risk Analysis Report.
APAL had expressed concern about four pests and a fungal disease - which were not considered in the final IRA report.
A spokesman for Mr Burke said the importation would only be allowed when rigorous biosecurity conditions for 16 pests were met.
