Delays in registering new products by the nation's agriculture and veterinary chemical regulator was negatively impacting farm productivity and the competitiveness of Australian producers, with predictions $400 million will be wiped from this year's crop while industry awaits assessment of a fusarium crown rot pesticide.
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Grain Producers Australia southern region grower director Andrew Weidemann made the comments after the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority reported a spike in processing delays, with only 78.3 per cent of major pesticide applications completed within legislated timeframes for the quarter ending December 2023.
The unpublished performance data, contained in a Senate Estimates written APVMA response to a question on notice, is in stark contrast to the June quarter of 2022 when on-time assessment of pesticide applications was reported at 96.9pc.
Mr Weidemann said the figures had further raised the alarm about the authority's "diminishing performance."
"It's extremely disappointing to hear these delays in product and permit approvals are continuing to worsen - but farmers aren't the only ones in the firing line of this drop in performance," he said.
"These products not only ensure farmers can manage pests and diseases properly, and the different seasonal challenges we face to remain productive, they're also essential to deliver environmental sustainability and income generation for the nation and rural communities.
"It's also very, very frustrating to hear the APVMA's performance is causing delays in registering major products needed to manage crown rot, which, if we don't have it in time this season, could cost the Australian grain sector about $400 million in lost productivity, just this year."
Mr Weidemann also said separate products critical to managing other pests and diseases currently hammering farmers in different grain-producing regions, such as fall armyworm, red legged earth mite and powdery mildew, were also subject to delay.
Cleared assessments at APVMA, which is an organisation in limbo as it waits for the government to decide if it will remain headquartered at Armidale or be shifted back to Canberra, for major pesticides were at 85pc in the first quarter of the 2023-24 financial year.
The figures fluctuated between 81 and 86pc across the 2022-23 financial year.
CropLife Australia chief executive Matthew Cossey said the latest figures were the sixth successive quarter that the APVMA timeframe performance for major pesticide applications had "languished below its own downgraded self-imposed targets."
"Unfortunately, the APVMA's failure to meet its statutory timeframe obligations is now having very real consequences for effective management of crippling pests and diseases," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Weidemann said the situation indicated the need for "robust" reforms when the government's response to an independent review of APVMA's governance, structural and financial processes is released.
"GPA members continue to support an independent, evidence based and scientifically focused regulator that's operating as efficiently as it should and can be," he said.
"We need to ensure the balance is right and farmers are not being hindered by substandard performance."
The issues being faced by grain growers were also raised by GPA in a meeting with Agriculture Minister Murray Watt last month.
A spokesperson for Senator Watt said the government was considering the review findings and its response would be delivered in due course.
