Fears over people in fruit fly zones sharing produce over social media

There are fears fruit fly restrictions across Adelaide could continue past Christmas – especially if social media gets in the way.

Gardeners in fruit fly zones across Adelaide are giving away their produce through social media, sparking fears of further outbreaks.

Horticultural industry stakeholders are urging people in affected areas to cease the practice immediately to stop the spread of the pest – or risk restrictions being in place beyond Christmas.

Fruit fly outbreaks are affecting more than 300 suburbs across Adelaide.

Primary Industries and Regions South Australia has implemented restrictions on the movement of fruit in affected zones.

In so-called “red” areas, restricted fruit or vegetables must not be moved from properties, while in “yellow” areas limited movement is allowed.

South Australian Produce Market chief executive Angelo Demasi said industry stakeholders had raised with PIRSA the issue of people from these zones sharing produce.

“Industry continues to highlight Facebook pages to PIRSA’s biosecurity team and that has been a strong focus by industry to government – to shut down homegrown fruit sharing in outbreak areas,” he said.

Fruit Fly Inspector Braeden Howse helps to set up a fruit fly trap. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Mr Demasi said although industry and the state government had “done so much” to advise people about restrictions, language barriers might be preventing the message getting through to non-English-speaking home gardeners.

AUSVEG chief executive Jordan Brooke-Barnett agreed the industry was concerned with the movement of fruit from fruit fly zones.

“It could potentially spread an outbreak,” he said.

The opposition raised the matter in state parliament on Thursday. It provided an example to The Advertiser where a person in Glandore – in the “red” area – earlier this month offered free fruit on a community Facebook page with 900 followers.

Opposition Primary Industries spokeswoman Clare Scriven said the government needed to raise more awareness, or the restrictions “could continue past Christmas this year”.

“The State Government has spent $40 million tackling the fruit fly outbreak and yet popular Adelaide fruit and vegetable swap pages are unaware of the risks of removing produce from their own backyard,” she said.

“This is not the fault of local gardeners; it is a failure by the government to ensure that popular swap pages are made aware of restrictions.”

Primary Industries Minister David Basham said a public campaign was launched in February this year to educate South Australians about fruit fly restrictions and it would continue until December. There was ongoing letterboxing in affected areas, he said.