Queensland fruit and vegetable growers worried about insecticide ban

A horticulture group in one of the country's largest production regions fears southern markets won't accept Queensland fruit if an agricultural chemical is banned.

The nation's chemical regulator could suspend the fruit fly control insecticide dimethoate because of human health concerns.

There are currently 26 products containing the chemical registered in Australia.

But Peter Hockings, from the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers, says markets will be put at risk if the chemical is banned.

"In essence, the impact will be for the southern markets and that's the key issue for us," he said.

"The other practices that growers employ to control the fruit fly is not approved by those markets to allow the fruit and vegetables to be transported to those interstate markets."