One in 10 Riverland travellers was fined for bringing prohibited produce into fruit fly control zone

Despite plenty of signage, too many motorists are bringing fresh produce into the Riverland at a time of fruit fly high alert.

Almost one in 10 motorists checked at random roadblocks have been caught and fined for carrying fruit fly host material into the Riverland.

The state government’s 23 random road blocks were conducted between September and May, with compliance officers seizing 1839kg of fresh produce.

They fined 944 people during checks on 10,616 vehicles, collecting about $382,000 from the expiation notices. Motorists each received a $405 fine for bringing host material into the region.

Following a series of outbreaks, Primary Industries Minister David Basham said the government was extending its roadblock program to protect the Riverland from fruit fly. He urged people to shop locally and leave their fruit at home this Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

“There is no excuse for doing the wrong thing as you travel into the Riverland Pest Free Area,” he said.

“You can’t miss the signage and strategically placed quarantine bins to dispose of any fresh produce before you enter the area.”

There are five outbreak areas in the Riverland, following infestations of Queensland fruit fly, and another 12 in Adelaide – mostly of Mediterranean fruit fly. Port Augusta also has an outbreak area.

The milder summer is believed to have contributed to the unusually large number of outbreaks.

During a recent budget and finance committee hearing, PIRSA’s deputy chief executive Mehdi Doroudi described the outbreaks as the worst he had seen.

The government has spent about $28m on controlling the pest through measures such as baiting, stripping trees and disposing of fruit and releasing millions of sterile fruit flies.

The outbreaks have cost growers thousands of dollars in revenue due to lost markets and the need to treat fruit before it is sent to buyers.

Roadblocks have been set up in Blanchetown, Swan Reach, Morgan and Bordertown. There are rules against bringing fruit fly host material into the Riverland Pest Free Area on an ongoing basis. But extra restrictions are also in place across large parts of the Riverland, Adelaide, and Port Augusta in an attempt to get on top of the outbreaks.