Local growers swapped the morning farm routine for the city commute on Wednesday, handing out fresh fruit to workers in a push to support WA grown produce.
The Stonefruit WA season launch comes just one week after the detection of an invasive fruit fly in the southern suburbs.
Perth NRM sustainable agriculture manager David Broadhurst, G&A Padula and son orchardist Mick Padula, Stonefruit WA chair Anthony Caccetta and Karragullen orchardist Danny Di Marco promoting WA Stonefruit in Yagan Square, November 27, 2024Credit: Claire Ottaviano
Queensland fruit fly attacks more than 300 species of fruits and vegetables with potential to seriously impact Western Australia’s $1.75 billion horticulture industry.
Third generation Karragullen orchardist Danny Di Marco said the discovery of Qfly was an extremely timely reminder of the importance of protecting WA’s agricultural industry by showing support at the check-out.
“We pick in the morning and that night it’s at the wholesaler, and it’s on the shelves of the shop virtually the next day,” he said.
“So what more of a fresh product would you want? Why would you be buying something from over east or from overseas that’s probably been fumigated because of our custom laws and whatnot, or trucked over the Nullarbor for weeks before it’s on the shelf.”
The push to buy local comes as new data, revealed to WAtoday by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, revealed more than 1600 lines of imported produce had been detained by border control in the past year.
More than 250 lines did not comply with WA import requirements and were treated, re-exported or destroyed.
In the past year, four sanctions were handed to commercial consignments that did not meet relevant import conditions, including one infringement and three warnings.
“While the vast majority of supply chain participants do the right thing, it is important for everybody to adhere to WA import requirements to reduce the biosecurity risk,” the spokesperson said.
In response to growers’ concerns about the strength of WA’s biosecurity, Di Marco said stronger sanctions would be welcomed.
“There’s no doubt that the government needs to really review the biosecurity laws and scrutinise [imported] produce a lot better than what it is at the moment,” he said.
“It’s important because the more diseases that come into West Australia, the more that you’ve got to use insecticides and stuff like that, and we want to use as less as possible.”
At the stone fruit launch more than 1000 commuters tasted peaches, nectarines and cherries grown in WA – grown at orchards right across the state from Lancelin to Gingin, the Perth Hills and the south-west.
Grower and chair of Stonefruit WA Anthony Caccetta encouraged shoppers to buy fruit from “trees down the road, not across the Nullabor”.
“We are highlighting the incredible quality of WA-grown produce, and supporting local farmers who work tirelessly to bring the best fruit to our tables,” he said.
“All of our 100-plus WA growers are families who run their orchards with love and care to
supply the WA market, not export, delivering great locally grown stone fruit from November to February from just down the road.”
He said winter rains and spring sunshine had led to a bumper harvest.
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