The state’s almost 80 blueberry growers are concerned three blueberry rust incursions in the North-West will cost them in quarantine management and market access, Australian Blueberry Growers' Association president Greg McCulloch said.

Tasmanian blueberry growers export to the mainland and internationally.

“It affects our national trade as well as having potential to affect our international trade,” Mr McCulloch said.

“Because we have rust, Victoria will require certain conditions to be met before we can export into Victoria. South Australia and Western Australia are the same. Tasmania is the only state that has access into Japan with blueberries,” he said.

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Huon Valley blueberry grower Tony O’Connell said the spread of blueberry rust also concerned growers.

“The biggest threat for spread would be from pickers and backpackers with the transfer of rust from the mainland to here,” Mr O’Connell said.

“This will impact them individually, especially for the smaller and medium growers. It’s a big cost,” he said.

Managing blueberry rust with chemicals also means organic fruit loses its status.

“Under the current access system organic farmers would be ruled out,” Mr McCulloch said.

Although he did not put a dollar figure on the value of Tasmania’s blueberry industry, Mr McCulloch said the industry’s was “significant”, and the sector’s growth depended on strong biosecurity controls.

“If the state wants to promote agricultural growth, biosecurity goes hand in hand with that,” he said.