HUGH SCHUITEMAKER and JOSH BRINE

OUTBREAKS of fruit fly in the Riverland are likely to pose challenges for growers attempting to transport fruit until March, according to a senior local industry figure.
Around 150 local fruit growers attended a meeting held at the Renmark Hotel on Monday to discuss the impacts of Queensland fruit fly outbreaks – both detected last month – in Monash and Renmark West.
Summerfruit SA chairman Jason Size said a 1.5km outbreak zone had been established around the areas, with a wider 15km suspension zone requiring fruit to be treated before it can be transported.
“For summerfruit growers it means they have to apply various treatments and have market-access protocols to be able to move fruit out of the area (and) that comes at an added expense for local growers,” Mr Size said. “At the moment you can’t move fruit out of the area without it undergoing certain protocols.
“Every grower and situation are potentially different… but generally they need to go through Biosecurity SA for market-access requirements.”
It is understood up to 30 PIRSA staff have travelled from Adelaide to conduct backyard testing in the Riverland, with further locals also to be recruited.
Mr Size said suspension of fruit fly-free status in outbreak areas would disrupt some market access for growers.
“Growers can potentially still access non-sensitive markets which already have fruit fly, but it is going to be really hard, if not impossible, to get to our sensitive markets,” he said.
“Market movements can happen but it will be a lot more difficult and a lot costlier for growers.
“So, growers will be impacted cost wise, which raises the question: do they bear that cost and keep going or do they not harvest that crop?
“Considering we are two-thirds of the way through the harvest the impacts are going to be hard, but it would have been much worse if it had happened just prior to the season starting, or at the start of the season.”
The Murray Pioneer understands neither the Monash or Renmark West suspension areas will be lifted until at least mid-March.
However, Mr Size said any further detection of fruit fly larvae in the areas would extend that timeframe.
“That date could change if there are further detections,” he said.
“As soon as there is another detection of fruit fly in the suspension area, that date changes and gets pushed out. It has implications for the wine industry coming into vintage, and it could potentially have impacts on the citrus industry if the lifting gets pushed out any further.
“The outbreak has serious implications for all fresh fruit industries in this region.”
Further meetings regarding the outbreaks – targeting local wine grape growers – are set to be held by Riverland Wine at the Barmera Club tomorrow from 9.30am, and at the Renmark Hotel from 1.30pm. More information regarding fruit fly in the region can be obtained by contacting PIRSA on 1800 255 556.