FruitTrop Magazine n°231
close-up banana 2015
- Publication date : 7/05/2015
- Price : Free
- Detailled summary
- Articles from this magazine
Thank you for having printed this page. To preserve the environment, the printable version of this page has been reduced to a minimum. Do not hesitate to reconsider www.fruitrop.com. The text and graphic content is the exclusive property of CIRAD. Total or partial reproduction of the contents, made from the site without permission elements is prohibited within the meaning of Article L.713-2 of the Code of intellectual property. Copyright CIRAD
The WTO, World Bank, IMF… in short all the organisations
- Published on 14/05/2015 - Published by LOEILLET Denis
- FruiTrop n°231 , Page From 1 to 1
- Free
Edito Fruitrop n°231
Informations
- Rubrique / Thématique : Direct from the markets
- Country : World
- Keywords : Climate , Pests and diseases
Open/Close Shop
Articles from same magazine
The WTO, World Bank, IMF… in short all the organisations attending the sickbed of the world economy have raised globalisation as the sole bulwark against poverty and under-development. They all have a battery of indicators which show how much the increase in trade in goods and services benefits the peoples of the world. Other organisations believe the opposite, pointing out the negative externalities of applying such a belief. This year’s big world climate summit being held in France will single out in particular the negative effects of long-distance transport on climate change, the destruction of local production industries by cheap imported products, the financialisation of the economy, which is also an avatar of globalisation, tax optimisation which distorts added value and taxation, etc. Do the adverse effects outweigh the benefits? Appraising the effects is often just a matter of the viewpoint of experts and campaigners. However, what we can be sure of is that agriculture pays a heavy tribute to this surging world trade. Since while there is trade in goods, diseases and pests can circulate just as freely – bully for them! As proof, Australia has been hit three times in a few weeks by invasive pests or diseases: two outbreaks of Tropical Race 4 (TR4) banana wilt, and the appearance of a devastating virus on a watermelon farm. The introduction of plant material is very often, or even practically always the cause. A red alert has been sounded and eradication plans are being drawn up. The Count of Montecristo would have said “May they perish in a way befitting their sins”. And this is actually what has happened, though less poetically, with the boot now on the other foot. You will recall that Australia is one of the influential members of the Cairns group encompassing 19 countries, which since 1986, has advocated liberalisation of trade in agricultural products to all the global authorities. A principle which Australia itself often evades, yet it has been caught out by one of the realities of globalisation: the uncontrolled dissemination of diseases and pests.
