Calls to reverse lunch box fruit ban amid sales drop, as SA fights fruit fly outbreak

The State Government is coming under pressure to reverse a ban on fresh fruit in children’s lunch boxes, amid a series of fruit fly outbreaks.

Susie Green, chief executive of Apple & Pear Growers Association of SA, in a Lenswood apple orchard. Picture: Tom Huntley

Growers are rallying for the government to reverse its ban on fresh fruit in lunch boxes across outbreak areas, as concern grows about a drop in sales.

Groups will meet with Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham in Loxton on Friday to discuss the state’s 12 fruit fly outbreaks and how measures to stem the insect’s spread are impacting producers.

Apple and Pear Growers Association of SA chief executive Susie Green said there was much concern among her 35 member businesses, including some that had experienced reduced sales.

“Some of the retailers have responded straight away and reduced their orders, and there’s a lot of watching and waiting to see what happens – it’s really troubling,” she said.

“A lot of people take forward orders so over the coming days and weeks we’ll see the true impact.”

Apple, pear and stone fruit growers are among those most affected, with harvests well underway in the Riverland.

The State Government has asked people within quarantine areas to limit fruit movement to help eradicate fruit fly – including a ban on fruit in school and work lunch boxes for those in outbreak areas.

Outbreak areas sit at the centre of wider suspension, or quarantine areas.

Adelaide’s quarantine area covers 297 suburbs between Sturt and Eden Hills in the south, and Salisbury in the north, and from the coast to Highbury and Mount Osmond in the east.

Quarantine also applies to a large part of the Riverland following outbreaks in Monash and Renmark West.

Ms Green wants the protocols in quarantine areas changed so children can still bring fruit to school safely. She said parents should be encouraged to ensure supermarket fruit was kept inside, and any fruit not eaten at school was disposed of securely in green bins.

SA Produce Market chief executive Angelo Demasi said by Thursday morning, it had seen a 30-50 per cent reduction in fresh fruit sales. He will be among industry leaders meeting Mr Basham on Friday to call for change.

Citrus SA chairman Mark Doecke said the government’s major concern should be backyard fruit – not produce bought at shops and supermarkets that was already subject to strict rules to stop infestation.

“It shouldn’t be an issue to move fruit that’s come through the chain,” he said.

Mr Basham said Adelaide was facing its largest Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak and homeowners must play their part in eradicating the pest.

“South Australia has a 100 per cent record when it comes to eradicating fruit fly outbreaks with the strict protocols having been set for many years and agreed by industry,” he said.

“The rules are clear – fruit cannot be taken off properties inside fruit fly outbreak areas – this includes both fruit purchased from retail and homegrown backyard fruit.

“Fruit fly can only have spread to the latest outbreak area in Black Forest if someone took it there so we have to restrict the movement of fruit around the city.”

Mr Basham said South Australia’s fruit fly free status gave producers market advantages around the world, “which is why the Marshall Liberal Government is doing everything we can to eradicate these outbreaks as fast as possible”.

“We will only be able to achieve this with the help of the public as well as industry and tomorrow’s meeting will be a chance to highlight how we can defeat this devastating horticulture pest together.”

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