Riverland fruit fly outbreak in Monash sparks stone fruit industry damage control for growers

A fruit fly outbreak in Monash has sparked widespread concern among Riverland growers.

The second fruit fly outbreak in the Riverland in a week has thrown the stone fruit industry into damage control.

A new 15km quarantine area, limiting fruit movement, has been declared after the discovery of Queensland fruit fly larvae in Monash, after another outbreak in Renmark West on December 23.

Summerfruit SA chairman Jason Size said the outbreaks in backyard fruit had been “devastating” for local businesses.

“I’ve been on the phone over the last few days to a number of growers that are quite distressed about the financial stress and the cost to their businesses,” Mr Size said.

The outbreaks mean growers cannot move fruit without treating it with measures such as fumigation, and come at an extremely difficult time for the Riverland’s stone fruit industry, which is picking and packing produce now.

Bookpurnong grower Jason Size, also the chairman of Summerfruit SA, says Riverland growers have been badly impacted by a fruit fly outbreak which is limiting fruit movement. Picture: Mark Brake

Mr Size could not quantify how many growers were impacted by the outbreaks or how much treatments would cost businesses, but said it would be expensive.

“It’s going to cost people a lot of money,” he said.

“But in saying that, SA does have a good record of eradicating fruit fly. I’m confident we’ll get on top of this but it’s just not a good situation we’re currently in, especially for growers.”

The new restrictions apply in areas including Monash, Barmera, Berri, Cobdogla, Glossop, Kingston On Murray, Lyrup, Moorook, Renmark South, Renmark West and Winkie.

The combined suspension areas now stretch from Lake Bonney in the west to Murtho in the east.

Department of Primary Industries and Regions biosecurity executive director Nathan Rhodes said an eradication program had begun to kill the insects.

A sterile Queensland fruit fly on an apricot.

“All available resources are being targeted into both the Monash and Renmark West outbreak areas along with the continuing response to the Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak in metropolitan Adelaide,” Mr Rhodes said.

Fruit flies are also impacting suburbs across Adelaide after earlier discoveries.

“Department staff are in the Riverland now applying organic bait and removing fruit and vegetables from properties in the affected area,” Mr Rhodes said.

A department spokeswoman said it suspected the outbreaks were caused by the importation of fruit infested with larvae.

“Our freedom from fruit fly is recognised by our trading partners on the basis of our comprehensive surveillance network of traps across the state,” she said.

“While fruit fly free status has been temporarily suspended across two … areas as a result, this declaration has no impact on the fruit fly free status for the rest of the Riverland pest free area or the state.”

Anyone in the fruit quarantine areas should not move fruit or vegetables off their properties.

They should also clean their backyards of all ripe fruit or fruiting vegetables through PIRSA’s green waste program, but not compost on their properties.

If no further wild flies or larvae are found, the quarantine zone for the Monash outbreak will be in place until at least March 22, while the Renmark zone applies until March 15.

If you find maggots in fruit or vegetables, call the Fruit Fly Hotline on 1300 666 010.

For more information, visit pir.sa.gov.au/fruitfly.

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