In response to a Queensland fruit fly outbreak detected in Glynde, north-east of Adelaide, a 15-kilometer suspension zone was enacted in January, impacting high-tech greenhouse growers in the Adelaide Hills region. This zone restricts the sale of fruit within its perimeter, affecting access to major metropolitan produce markets and revenue streams.
Sam and Dominic Virgara, operators of a Uraidla-based strawberry and raspberry farm, are among those affected. Their inability to sell at the Adelaide Showground Farmers' Market has led to a halt in watering strawberry plants and potential fruit dumping. "We just don't have an avenue to sell our fruit anymore, we've [been] just completely shut out the market," Sam stated. The brothers also had to reduce their workforce by 10 seasonal pickers.
The South Australian Primary Industries Department, PIRSA, suggested fumigation with methyl bromide to resume market sales, a step the Virgaras, as organic farmers, are unwilling to take. "That actually breaks trust with our customers who buy our fruit because we have no use of insecticides and things like that," Sam explained.
Fruit Producers SA's chief executive, Grant Piggott, highlighted the disproportionate impact on growers, stating, "It is a classic case of an incursion for biosecurity in that a small number of farmers tend to have a disproportionate hit on them compared to others." He noted that strawberry growers face more challenges compared to apple and pear growers, as strawberries do not fare well in cold storage.
Independent MLC Frank Pangallo criticized the "heavy-handed government red tape," citing concerns from producers about restrictions and paperwork. Both Pangallo and Piggott suggest reducing the suspension zone to a 7.5km radius to balance biosecurity and economic impact.
PIRSA emphasized that the fruit movement restrictions align with the Australian National Fruit Fly Management Protocol, requiring national consensus for any changes. "PIRSA has been advocating over a number of years with the Australian government and all other states and territories for changes to the existing protocols, particularly to reduce the size of the current 15km suspension zone for Queensland fruit fly, but so far without success," the department stated.
Source: ABC News