ALL Riverland backyard and commercial fruit growers are required to help eradicate current fruit fly outbreaks from the region, according to a local MP.
A new outbreak of Queensland fruit fly in the Riverland was declared by the State Government last week, following the detection of larvae in a Cooltong backyard.
Mr Whetstone said cooler temperatures meant any further detections of fruit fly would see quarantine restrictions extended through winter in the Riverland.
“We’ve gone past February 18, so we can’t have any more detections because that will put us into wintering mode and we won’t have that outbreak lifted in (autumn),” Mr Whetstone said.
“That was the last day we were able to contain the outbreak in the summer period.
“It implements a wintering factor and they wouldn’t lift any outbreak restrictions until later in the year.
“It would impact severely on the upcoming citrus season.”
Fruit fly outbreaks had previously been declared in Renmark West on December 23 and January 15, and in Monash on
December 30.
Mr Whetstone said costs of treating fruit before transporting to market would need to be covered by Riverland citrus growers.
“It doesn’t allow for the citrus season to be fruit fly free,” he said.
“Every carton of fruit that needs to be treated is costing about $4 and that’s a significant cost. That cost is borne by the grower.
“It impacts our reputation and confidence in the marketplace.”
Mr Whetstone said ensuring potential fruit fly host material was removed from fruit trees was vital for both backyard and commercial growers.
“I don’t want to see people saying it’s too hard or sitting down and thinking it will be okay, (because) unless we are forthright it will continue to put pressure on this region,” he said.
“We’re seeing all of these detections in backyards, so it’s even more important people with backyard trees are vigilant.
“Every fruit tree owner has to play their part. It’s disappointing we’re in this situation, but we have to do everything in our power to make sure there isn’t another detection.
“We’re finding the larvae in fruit and not in traps, which shows we’ve got a heavy fruit load on our trees this season.”
However, Opposition spokesperson for primary industries Clare Scriven said improved communication from the State Government was required for Riverland families.
“This is yet another blow to the public’s confidence in our fruit industry,” Ms Scriven said.
“Our producers are already suffering, and now there appears to have been a failure in controls of fruit crossing the border.
“Meanwhile households are left in a state of confusion as the Government fails to adequately communicate what is going on.
“(Primary Industries) Minister (David) Basham has handled this poorly from the start and our industry and consumers are paying the price.”
Mr Whetstone said the entire Riverland economy had been impacted by fruit fly outbreaks.
“It comes at a huge cost to government… and a huge cost to the grower having to treat that fruit, as well as losing our market advantage,” he said.
“This adds millions of dollars of costs to the local economy in order to deal with this.”
Quarantine restrictions will now remain in Renmark West and Cooltong until May 5 – without further fruit fly detection – and in Monash until March 22.