Glyphosate fears over imported flowers sold by supermarkets and florists

Imported flowers are hitting Aussie supermarket shelves within two days of being dipped in one of the world’s most polarising chemicals: glyphosate.

Roses imported from Kenya. Picture: Zoe Phillips

AUSTRALIAN flower growers and florists are warning supermarkets their imported flowers may be exposing staff and consumers to glyphosate.

Australia’s peak floral body Flower Council Australia has written to Coles and will write to Woolworths and ALDI in coming weeks about residual levels of glyphosate – one of the world’s most popular and polarising chemicals – on imported flowers that can land on shop shelves within two days of chemical treatment.

All fresh-cut flowers that can be propagated from the stem are dipped in a solution of Roundup, or glyphosate, for at least 20 minutes. The process, used to disable growth, is required by the Department of Agriculture, which sought a permit for its use to combat pests on flowers from Ecuador, Kenya and Columbia.

The Department has dismissed the flower industry’s concerns, saying the chemical is used to protect Australian farmers from foreign pests and diseases.

FIA argued while the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority-issued permit specifies safety directions, including avoiding contact with the eyes and skin, no withholding period was specified.

Withholding periods for chemical products are designed to ensure chemical residues on agricultural goods are safe for human consumption or handling.

“Glyphosate is commonly used in the production and trade of a very wide range of agricultural commodities, both domestically and internationally,” a Department of Agriculture spokesman said.

“Withholding periods are used in relation to chemical applications on food crops and are not applicable to cut flowers.”

FCA chief executive Anna Jabour said Australia’s permit was irrelevant as imported flowers could be chemically treated offshore.

“The permit doesn’t outline any process about washing the flowers after they’ve been dipped in Roundup (glyphosate) at all and it doesn’t outline a withholding period. That means they are drypacked with Roundup residue, put on commercial flights and land on our shores within a few days,” Ms Jabour said.

“The Australian public currently has zero knowledge about the process imported flowers go through prior to coming to Australia … Devitalisation should occur onshore, a withholding period should be outlined and full chemical manifests should be attached to the flowers so we know exactly what is being used on imported flowers.”

She said the practice added fuel to the industry’s push for all flowers to have country-of-origin labelling.

The majority of imported fresh flowers sold in Australia are brought here by flower wholesaler Lynch Group and are sold to supermarkets and florists. It grows the majority of its flowers in China, but has farms in Queensland and Perth, and sells 88 per cent of its supplies to supermarkets.

Lynch’s general manager of business development, Rodney Richards, said the company complied with all Australian regulatory standards, but signalled it was supportive of the industry’s push to move away from devitalisation.

The supermarkets were approached for comment.

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