Marleston fruit fly outbreak: Fruit movement restrictions extended until December amid yet another detection

Lunch box fruit restrictions will be in place for almost the whole of the year, following the discovery of another fruit fly outbreak. Find out how the changes affect your area.

Most fresh fruit will be off the lunch box menu for people in more than 80 Adelaide suburbs for almost the whole year.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) has found Mediterranean fruit fly in backyard produce in Marleston, prompting an extension of quarantine rules across much of the city until December 4.

There are now 10 Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak areas in Adelaide, along with one area under quarantine because of an infestation involving the Queensland species.

The series of detections across the state, including infestations in Monash, Renmark West and Cooltong, is causing havoc within the horticulture industry.

It has also sparked concern among retailers because people have been told not to bring fruit fly host produce to school or work if they live near a place where the insect has been discovered.

Fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges, kiwifruits, mandarins, mangoes, cherries, blueberries and fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums are banned. Pineapples and melons are allowed as they are not fruit fly host vegetables. See the full list here

There are 310 Adelaide suburbs affected by quarantine rules, which vary in severity depending on how close they are to outbreak epicentres.

Pooraka Produce Markets chief executive Angelo Demasi is concerned about the fruit fly outbreaks and their impact on the industry. Picture: Mike Burton

Those in ‘outbreak areas’ should not move fruit away from their properties – whether picked from their own trees or bought at the supermarket.

People living in the wider ‘suspension area’, or yellow zone, can move fruit in that zone – but if they take it into an outbreak area it can’t be moved again.

There are now 80 suburbs wholly in outbreak areas, or red zones, and another 83 that fall within both an outbreak area and suspension zone.

Another 147 suburbs fall entirely, or partially, in suspension zones.

PIRSA executive director of biosecurity Nathan Rhodes said this time of the year presented an opportunity to wipe out the infestations because the fruit fly life cycle traditionally slowed down over winter.

But it also meant the restrictions must be in place longer because the ‘overwintering’ pests may emerge many months later.

“These restrictions are an essential tactic, in combination with the work of our field teams, to protect South Australia’s $1.3 billion horticulture industry at risk from fruit fly and the tens of thousands of jobs it represents,” he said. The Marleston outbreak affects Adelaide Airport, Brooklyn Park, Cowandilla, Hilton, Keswick, Kurralta Park, Marleston, Mile End, Mile End South, Netley, North Plympton, Plympton, Richmond, Torrensville and West Richmond.

PIRSA team leader is Andrew Henderson and his team in Prospect, checking and spraying fruit. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt.

PIRSA teams are letterboxing residents with information and spraying and baiting plants.

Angelo Demasi, President of the Horticulture Coalition of SA, believed the large number of outbreaks was brought by milder summer weather, which had led to conditions more favourable to fruit fly breeding, along with larger than usual backyard crops.

He said extra fruit coming into SA due to changes in export markets, was also contributing.

Having previously reported a large drop in sales, Mr Demasi said apples and pears now most affected, with transactions at the SA Produce Market down 5-10 per cent.

“If we go down the track of ensuring that consumers definitely aren’t taking fruit into the regions and moving around homegrown fruit that will help get on top of this,” he said.

If there are no more Mediterranean wild flies or larvae detected, the Adelaide outbreak areas will remain in place until December 4.

In Ridleyton, affected by a Queensland fruit fly outbreak, the restrictions will be in place until May 14.

In Monash, the outbreak area will remain active until at least March 22, while in Cooltong and Renmark West, the restrictions will extend until May 19.

For more information on fruit fly host material and outbreak maps, visit fruitfly.sa.gov.au.

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