Principal biosecurity inspector Rebecca Sapuppo said Biosecurity Queensland was keen to cooperate with producers and help them meet their obligations under the Plant Protection Act 1989.

Ms Sapuppo was speaking after the producer was convicted, fined and ordered to pay court costs in Innisfail Magistrates Court last week.

The court found the producer had breached interstate certification procedures for almost 600 boxes of bananas sent to Victoria in August 2008 and Western Australia in October 2009.

The court was told interstate authorities detected the breach when they noticed the farm business was not authorised to issue certificates under the Interstate Certificate Assurance (ICA) Scheme when the produce was checked on arrival.

The producer had previously held accreditation to self-certify, but had allowed it to lapse.

"This case could easily have been avoided," Ms Sapuppo said.

"But we can't compromise Queensland's million-dollar horticultural export industries and we must maintain the high biosecurity standards other states require of us.

"It is vital to industry and to the Queensland economy that interstate markets have confidence that our exported bananas are free of pests and diseases."

Ms Sapuppo said the maximum penalty that could be applied under the Act was $100,000.

"But the fine sends a strong message that this type of offence threatens the entire accreditation scheme, as other states could close their markets if they don't have confidence our produce is free of Queensland fruit fly.

"This could burden industry with additional costs in obtaining inspector certification for produce consigned to quarantine-restricted interstate markets."

She said the ICA accreditation scheme allowed accredited growers to move produce interstate after self-certifying that required treatments had been completed and that the produce was free of disease and pests.

"This improves access to interstate markets for Queensland producers and minimises costs and time delays for the growers," Ms Sapuppo said.

"Biosecurity Queensland will continue to work with interstate authorities and respond to any breaches to protect market access for Queensland produce.

"But we would much prefer to work proactively with growers to ensure, for the sake of our industry, that we meet interstate requirements."

* For more information about biosecurity requirements and to apply for accreditation, visit the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation website, www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au