A fruit fly outbreak in Australia’s Sunraysia region has threatened the start of its table grape export season, and is likely to make trade to some markets significantly more difficult.
One female fruit fly was discovered in a trap in Cureton Avenue in Mildura yesterday. The town is the centre of the region’s table grape production, and responsible for much of the grape export supply.
The discovery will bring with it a 15km-radius exclusion zone that will require all fruit to be certified before leaving the area, according to Australian Table Grape Association CEO Geoff Scott.
“It takes in basically all of Mildura, Irymple, Red Cliffs and Merbein, so any table grape grower within that 15km suspension zone will have to go under additional treatment if they wish to export,” he told the ABC.
Grower-exporters with fruit in that 15km radius have told Fruitnet.com the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has given no official word as yet on the requirements for moving fruit within the zone.
In particular the outbreak will present a major problem for exports to New Zealand, according to David Minnis of 888 Exports.
“It’s going to put an end to the New Zealand trade unless they will accept land-based cold treatment,” he told Fruitnet.com.
“Not many companies have dedicated coolrooms that they can tie up with large volumes of stock, though.
“The New Zealand market is not a premium market anyway, so I can’t imagine they’ll want to tie up those coolrooms. I can only think of two or three companies who might consider it.”
Indonesia is also likely to require disinfestation treatment.
Officials from the DPI have begun an eradication programme in a 1.5km radius around the detection site, targeting backyard gardens and fruit trees in particular.
DPI official Gary D'Arcy told local media that in a best-case scenario with no further detections, it would be at least 28 days before the region could be declared fruit fly free.
In September last year the region was put on alert after a shipment of strawberries to Mildura from Queensland was suspected of carrying fruit fly larvae.
A protocol breakdown meant the strawberries were shipped without proper certification, according to Biosecurity Australia. Larvae had been found in a strawberry shipment from the same consignor in another state.
