According to shopping website Ebay, there’s been a spike in online purchasing of staple vegetable seeds. Sales of potatoes seeds have reportedly increased by 168 per cent, green beans by 120 per cent, lettuce by 125 per cent and cucumbers by 80 per cent over the past four months.
CropLife chief executive officer Matthew Cossey said it was important home gardeners bought seeds from a known origin and practised responsible pest and disease management to protect themselves, their future harvest and Australian farming.
“Most people wouldn’t even think that their backyard veggie patch could possibly cause a wide-scale issue, but if left unchecked, pests and diseases can spread quickly and can pose real and serious threats to major farming operations if they are allowed to breakout,” Mr Cossey said.
“Home gardeners should equip themselves with appropriate pest management tools and consult their local garden centre for the best advice on what to use for different produce and how to use those products safely and effectively.”
Australian Seed Federation chief executive officer Osman Mewett said people should always look to buy seeds from reputable Australian companies, and not from online mail-order sources overseas.
“Seeds of unknown origin pose a major threat to Australia’s biosecurity as they carry no guarantee of having undergone important testing procedures that detect and prevent seed borne pathogens that have not previously been reported in Australia,” Mr Mewett said.
In a research project conducted last year by the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Agriculture Victoria, 75 per cent of seeds purchased online from overseas suppliers carried viruses that were a biosecurity concern.
“Responsible seed purchasing and good management practices at home will ensure farms and our nation’s crop production aren’t inadvertently threatened or damaged causing ever great food supply challenges,” Mr Cossey said.
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