Joint Media release

Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss

Pakistan Goes to Ground on Australian Wheat

The Australian Government is deeply disappointed at Pakistan's official inaction over a dispute regarding the quality of Australian wheat.

Despite testing samples from a 150,000 tonne consignment of Australian wheat over a week ago to rule out the presence of Karnal bunt fungus, the Pakistan Government have not confirmed the result nor responded to numerous official requests to have the wheat tested by an independent third party.

Australian scientists who participated in testing the wheat are confident the results bore out Australia's position - that the consignment was free of the disease.

Australia will now proceed unilaterally to test the wheat at internationally recognised expert laboratories in the United Kingdom and the United States. Only sophisticated laboratory processes using the latest DNA testing technology and procedures can prove beyond doubt the presence or absence of Karnal bunt.

"Australia is confident that this testing will confirm the results of testing already conducted in Australia, New Zealand and the UK in which Karnal bunt was not detected," the Ministers said.

Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile and Australian Agriculture Minister Warren Truss today said they were disappointed that the matter had not yet been resolved.

The Pakistan media, quoting official Pakistan Government sources, has reported that the tests confirmed the presence of Karnal bunt in the wheat. "Australia would dispute any such finding," the Australian Government Ministers said.

Pakistan has also declined to confirm or deny media reports in which a Pakistan Government minister is quoted as saying the Cabinet had decided to reject the wheat consignment.

"We wrote to the Prime Minister of Pakistan a week ago seeking independent third-party testing of the wheat to settle the matter conclusively. We have heard nothing since," the Ministers said.

Mr Vaile has instructed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to again call in the Pakistan High Commissioner to protest strongly the manner in which the Pakistan government has handled this matter.

Mr Vaile and Mr Truss welcomed an earlier decision by Pakistan to establish a high-level committee to test the wheat. "Unfortunately Pakistan's spirit of cooperation appeared to end there," the Ministers said.

AWB Ltd has written to its customers to explain the situation and reassure clients of its commitment to provide high-quality wheat to the world.

Media contacts: Matthew Doman (Mr Vaile) 02 6277 7420

Tim Langmead (Mr Truss) 02 6277 7520