FRUIT fly outbreaks are causing headaches for Riverland citrus growers less than a month before picking is due to start.
About 70 concerned Riverland West horticultural industry representatives, mostly from the citrus sector, attended a recent information session, organised by Citrus SA and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).
The latest discoveries of fruit fly in the backyards of residential properties at Waikerie, Paringa, Mundic Creek, Murtho and Wonuarra were announced earlier this month. The fruit fly outbreak experienced in Waikerie is the first ever for the district.
Known as the citrus centre of Australia in the 1970s and 1980s, Waikerie and its surrounding district are still among one of the Riverland’s biggest citrus production areas.
Citrus SA chair Mark Doecke said the discovery of fruit fly in the Riverland ahead of the citrus season would mean millions of dollars in extra costs and logistical challenges for growers and packing sheds.
He said all the present outbreaks of fruit fly in the Riverland were in backyard fruit trees and not on commercial properties.
“The growers of whatever commodity are paying for the backyard people’s slackness and that is millions of dollars,” Mr Doecke said.
He said it was bad timing for Riverland citrus growers to have to contend with a fruit fly outbreak so close to the start of the season.
Mr Doecke urged horticulturalists to consult their packing sheds and PIRSA on what measures they should take to treat their produce following the outbreak.
PIRSA’s general manager of the fruit fly response, Nick Secomb, said the aim of the meeting was to provide growers in the Riverland West with some initial advice on how to handle the outbreak.
He said the fruit fly maggots found in some backyard fruit in Waikerie were likely to have been linked to other detections in the region.
Mr Seacomb said autumn was the season when the discovery of fruit fly was most prevalent.
He said PIRSA staff are visiting properties in the new 1.5km red outbreak areas around Waikerie and Paringa, and that restrictions on the movement of the types of fruit and vegetables at risk from fruit fly were in place.
“Our teams in orange overalls are contacting residents with information about what to do,” Mr Seacomb said.
“They will be regularly applying bait to suitable foliage in properties, as well as checking fruit for signs of fruit fly.”
Mr Seacomb said people in the towns affected should search for their address on the map on the fruit fly website to check if they are in a red outbreak or yellow suspension area.
He said the website would also provide information on how the restrictions would affect them.
“For Waikerie growers this is brand new, and it has never happened before, so it is going to be disruptive and be quite difficult for people,” Mr Seacomb said.
PIRSA said commercial fruit movement restrictions are in place for all fruit fly outbreak areas across the Riverland.
It said all host material must be treated and certified before leaving a fruit fly-affected area.
Riverland Fruit Fly committee chair Jason Size encouraged growers in the new fruit fly outbreak areas of the region to understand what the restrictions and conditions meant for them and seek
support if needed.
“If you are a grower in one of these areas, go to the fruit fly website and you’ll find lots of useful information about the restrictions in place, and what you need to do,” he said.
Affected growers can phone the PIRSA Industry Hotline on 1800 255 556 or the Family and Business Support program on 1800 931 314.
More information can also be found at www.fruitfly.sa.gov.au.