New detections of wild flies around the Riverland’s Pike River mean fruit movement restrictions in the area, and in Renmark West, will not be eased until at least March.

Key points:

  • Three out of five Riverland outbreak areas are now fruit fly free
  • Renmark West and Pike River fruit movement restrictions continue until at least March 2022
  • A renewed fruit fly free status will benefit exporters

All of the region’s Queensland fruit fly outbreaks were due to end on December 27 but only three Riverland outbreak areas — Berri, Cooltong, and Monash — have successfully eradicated the bug.

Until March 13 next year, the Pike River and Renmark West areas will continue following fruit fly prevention practises like freezing and treating fruit with chemicals.

“It’s hard work dealing with restrictions,” Citrus SA chair Mark Doecke said.

“There’s plenty of rules around what you can and can’t do. Growers have to keep their blocks clean, have to keep fruit picked up off the ground.

Citrus grower Mark Doecke says he is confident Renmark West and Pike River will become fruit fly free by March.(ABC News: Isabel Dayman)

Mr Doecke said the Riverland’s fruit fly free status is “worth a lot”, and reclaiming that status will bode well for export opportunities.

“We have markets that prefer fruit from a pest free area because we don’t have to ‘cold freeze’ fruit in transit.

“It’s in a lot better condition without the cold treatment.”

Hit to agriculture

Fruit fly outbreaks across South Australia have threatened its $1.3 billion horticultural industry, representing 37,500 local jobs, 4,000 businesses, and thousands of livelihoods.

On December 22 an outbreak of Mediterranean fruit fly that impacted more than 170 suburbs across metropolitan Adelaide was declared eradicated.

A Port Augusta outbreak was successfully eradicated earlier this month.

Now after the region’s 12-month battle with the bug, Berri, Cooltong, and Monash join the club.

Workers from the PIRSA check backyard fruit trees to identify fruit flies.(ABC News: Mahalia Carter)

Primary Industries Minister David Basham said Riverland residents and primary producers played an important role in supporting the eradication program and will now reap the rewards.

Chair of the Riverland Fruit Fly Committee, Jason Size, said the eradication of the outbreaks was “a huge effort”, but now is not the time for complacency.

“Even though three of the outbreaks have been lifted there are still two areas remaining, which means everybody must continue their efforts to ensure our region is clean and free of fruit fly,” he said.

Posted , updated