Family-owned South Australian farms to lose millions in scramble to control tomato virus outbreak

The contagious virus had been bubbling in South Australia for over a month, but the family-owned growers at the centre of the outbreak fear what might come next for their livelihoods.

A family-owned South Australian farm has already thrown out at least $1.1m worth of tomatoes and laid off 30 workers over the past week, after health authorities enforced a quarantine to contain a highly-transmissible virus.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus was detected in the state last month, but on Wednesday the state government revealed a complete ban on stock leaving three Adelaide Plains farms in a bid to eradicate it.

Gawler River Tomatoes owner Harry Kapiris, 68, said he made the “difficult decision” to to cut his losses last week, with four states completely turning away fruit from positive sites.

Unable to fulfil this season’s contracts, he said the true cost of the quarantine could run into the $3-4m mark.

Tomato vines worth hundreds of thousands have been pulled from the ground at Gawler River Tomatoes to control the virus. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“When New South Wales said they wouldn’t take our produce, we knew we couldn’t keep going,” Mr Kapiris said.

“The longer you keep going, the longer you have to keep feeding them and maintaining the crops, and that costs thousands and thousands of dollars a day.

Gawler River Tomatoes owner Harry Kapiris said he was forced to bin at least $1.1m worth of stock to control the spread of tomato brown rugose fruit virus. Picture: Supplied

“We’d been growing for seven to eight weeks already, and I don’t know what it will cost us in the end.”

The virus poses no threat to human health but leads to discolouration and bruising on the flesh, according to the Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA.

Mr Kapiris, whose parents bought the land in the 1950s, said he did not begrudge the state government’s decision but that compensation should be on the table.

“At the end of the day, what happened to us wasn’t our fault,” he said.

“The biosecurity authorities are supposed to screen the seedlings that come in from overseas, so it looks like a bad batch has come through.”

Examples of fruit affected by tomato brown rugose fruit virus. Picture: Department of Primary Industries SA

Dead stock at Gawler River Tomatoes. Picture: Keryn Stevens

South Australia Tomatoes operations manager Jonathan Gallichan, 41, said he was told the quarantine would remain in place until December 15 but “could be extended or brought back”.

The seedling nursery was shut down on August 16 and Mr Gallichan said the confirmed losses so far have cracked the $1m mark.

While the state government does not believe tomato prices are likely to spike, SA Produce Market spokeswoman Penny Reidy said the “ramifications will take some time to be seen”.

“Consumers can be rest assured that any tomatoes they find filling the shelves of their fruit and veg stores are going to be high quality and fit for consumption,” Ms Reidy said.

“The main concern with the virus is its effect on yield for the growers – the virus does not pose any health issues to human consumption.”

After major grower Perfection Fresh this week reported it would stand down 500 workers, Shadow Primary Industries Minister Dr Nicola Centofanti on Thursday called for an inquiry into how the virus was being managed leading up to the quarantine declaration.