THE latest strategy in tackling the fruit fly threat was hand-delivered to the Riverland by a state minister this week.
SA Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven delivered 1000 fruit tree tags to a Waikerie garden centre on Monday to help inform and educate consumers about the potentially costly pest.
The tags were presented to Waikerie Wills & Co Mitre 10’s Green Life and Garden Centre manager, Janelle Eustice.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) started rolling out the tags to independent nurseries and garden centres in metropolitan Adelaide in August last year, with assistance from the Nursery and Garden Industry of SA.
The tags are also being trialled in five Bunnings stores, four in Adelaide and the sole Riverland Bunnings store at Berri.
Ms Scriven said it was important for backyard fruit tree growers to be educated about what needs to be done to prevent fruit fly, especially in the Riverland where the pest was threatening people’s livelihoods.
“The horticulture industry is worth $1.3 billion and it provides many jobs in this region,” she said.
Fruit fly outbreaks have been declared in parts of Loxton, Waikerie, Murtho, Paringa, Pike River, and Renmark.
In these areas, restrictions are currently in place until December 23 to limit the movement of some fruit and vegetables at risk from fruit fly.
Ms Scriven said people in Riverland towns such as Waikerie should still be able to enjoy producing fruit in their gardens.
The tags advise backyard producers to pick their fruit as soon as it is ripe, collect and dispose of any fruit on the ground under trees, and check their produce for blemishes and maggots.
“It is fantastic to see Mitre 10, Bunnings and other home and garden stores around our state getting involved to help protect backyard fruit trees from fruit fly,” Ms Scriven said.
“The collaboration between government, industry and our community is the key to understanding, educating and tackling fruit fly in South Australia.”
Ms Eustice said the information tags would help her customers at Waikerie learn how to best care for the fruit trees they were purchasing during a time when fruit fly outbreaks were occurring regularly across the district.
“We support this initiative, as it is a simple way for our customers and community to know that they can still purchase fruit trees and have their own produce at home,” she said.
“But obviously to prevent fruit fly, they do need to take care of their fruit and there are rules that they need to follow.”
More information about preventing fruit fly can be found at fruitfly.sa.gov.au
Gardeners who notice anything unusual in their backyard grown fruit should place their affected fruit in a plastic bag and call the Fruit Fly Hotline on 1300 666 010.