Three-and-a-half years after the last trace of citrus canker was found in Emerald, Queensland, local producers 2PH Farms are ready to get back into the market.
2PH Farms' Craig Pressler said the family company, which has replanted more than 200,000 trees in the Emerald area, is positive about the industry getting back on track in the district.
Mr Pressler said 2PH had looked to other aspects of primary producing, such as table grapes and cropping, to get through the period when no citrus was allowed to be planted.
But, now it was looking forward to getting back into the industry and to getting it back up and running.
"We started planting trees the first day we were allowed to," Mr Pressler said.
"And we will have fruit ready to be picked as soon as the market is re-opened to us - we have spent a lot of time and money so we would be ready to get back into the marketplace as soon as possible."
2PH has re-planted mandarins and lemons and Mr Pressler sees a very bright future for their crops with interest in the crop high from buyers they dealt with prior to the outbreak.
"We are in contact with our buyers weekly.
"Basically they can't wait to get our product back on the market," he said.
"Everything is looking really good - the tree growth has been phenomenal, the Australian dollar is down which is good for our exports and we are 90pc export focused.
"Knowing we have water for at least a few years is great, and it looks like fertiliser prices may go down, so overall we are in a very good position as long as the area is deemed clear of canker."
Despite being out of the market for several years, the demand for 2PH's fruit has not waned, and 2PH is ready and waiting to pounce on the fact they have not lost brand recognition in their major markets.
"Our product is still the most demanded mandarin brand in China.
"They want our fruit, our product, our brand," Mr Pressler said.
"And with demand looking good, prices look good."
With a good looking crop and waiting markets, it is no wonder 2PH is on the edge of its seat waiting to be given clearance from citrus canker once and for all.
The clearance should be given in February after the National Citrus Canker Eradication Program (NCCEP), hopefully proves to the National Consultative Committee Plant/Pests that the area is officially clear of canker.
Department of Primary Industries NCCEP manager Grant Telford said market access should be given to Emerald fruit domestically as all States agreed on the terms, practices and conditions of the eradication program.
And a full report will be sent to Biosecurity Australia and they will seek to gain international recognition of pest free area status.
The program has involved an initial 18-month period when no citrus was grown to starve the disease of a host, followed by the current 18 month period of replanted fruit undergoing inspections every 90 days, alongside strict on-farm bio-security and quarantine requirements.
The NCCEP currently employs a team of about 10 full-time staff specifically to look for the disease and maintain movement controls within the Emerald Pest Quarantine Area.
Surveys for citrus canker conducted on less susceptible native citrus (Citrus glauca) located in areas outside the established destruction zones also demonstrated a visible absence of the disease in those areas.
"People involved in the program have worked very hard to see it is a success, the staff on the ground have walked up to 15km a day inspecting citrus for canker," Mr Telford said.
"850,000 native citrus trees have been inspected and none have ever showed signs of canker, the same goes for domestic citrus as well," Mr Telford said.