The banana industry is working with biosecurity officials in the hope of partially reopening two Queensland farms hit by a devastating disease.
The farms, at Tully and Mareeba in the state's far north, remain under quarantine after they tested positive for the soil-borne Panama TR4 fungus.
It's the same disease that destroyed the Northern Territory's banana industry in the 1990s, and its discovery in Queensland has every grower in the state on alert.
The Australian Banana Growers' Council hopes the two affected properties might be able to partially resume farming under strict new protocols designed to ensure the disease is not spread.
"These protocols will be set by Biosecurity Queensland with advice from the ABGC," council chairman Doug Phillips said in a statement on Tuesday.
The council and biosecurity officials held a meeting with growers at Mareeba on Monday and two more will be held at Tully and Innisfail on Tuesday.
Mr Phillips said growers supported the development of a protocol to allow affected farmers to partially resume operations.
Growers also want the state and federal governments to fund an assistance package to help those whose operations have been interrupted by the outbreak, he said.
Panama disease stops banana plants from producing marketable bunches.
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