Bee, pig import bans on South Australian border

SA is slamming shut its border to two interstate imports as it fights to stay free of a pest thats caused havoc overseas — and has just landed in the east.

Bans have been slapped on interstate imports of live bees as biosecurity authorities fight the spread of deadly diseases threatening produce worth more than $2bn.

The state government has imposed indefinite restrictions on a range of bees and products arriving from NSW since January 1 after outbreaks of the destructive varroa mite. Commercial honey is allowed.

Primary Industries and Regions chiefs also placed restrictions on pig herds from parts of Queensland and NSW, where the porcine brucellosis infection is “known or suspected”.

In an official alert on Monday, the state’s chief inspector of stock, Mary Carr, invoked special laws that ban various animal imports.

The bans are planned to control the destructive varroa mite that has devastated bee populations around the world. . Picture: Annette Dew

Under state livestock laws, Ms Carr must give special permission for any NSW bees, including queen species, escorts or cells, colonies in packages and swarms along with hives. Bans also apply to apiary products and appliances, beekeeping plant or components.

Varroa mite – or varroa destructor – are pinhead-sized mites that can cause colony collapse in beehives. The mites feed on bee larvae and can cause deformities in adult bees.

Australia was the only major honey producing country free of it until outbreaks near Newcastle last week.

This has sparked biosecurity alerts and producers considering euthanising ­colonies. The bee industry produces $11m worth of honey and helps pollinate other horticulture worth at least $1.7bn.

Almost two thirds of Australia’s plant-based industries depend on pollination, particularly almonds, apples, cherries, blueberries, lucerne and clover.

Pork generated $499m in revenue in 2020-21.

A “very concerned” Kangaroo Island Beekeepers Association spokesman Shawn Hinves called for enforcement to help to stop the scourge after the 2020 bushfires destroyed more than 1000 hives.

He said KI had the world’s purest strain of ligurian honey bees, a species prized for its gentle nature and high yields.

“We’re still recovering from the fires and will be for another couple of years, so this is quite worrying,” he said.

Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven, who is due to brief parliament on Thursday, urged vigilance after talks with industry and hobby groups.

“Beekeepers … have an important role to play in heightening their own biosecurity through surveillance of their hives and reporting any suspicion … immediately,” she said.

Opposition spokeswoman Nicola Centofanti said: “We need everything thrown at these foreign threats because once they reach our state, it’s already too late.” Primary Producers SA chairman Simon Maddocks urged said “strong biosecurity measures ”.