The Australian state of Western Australia has been cleared of citrus canker, 18 months after the disease was detected at retail businesses in Kununurra and Wyndham.
A joint effort between the Western Australian state government, Kununurra, Wyndham and surrounding northern communities, separate contractors and the citrus industry achieved the result, which is sure to give a boost to the region’s A$30m citrus industry.
The department of primary industries and regional development led site inspections of over 13,000 properties across northern Western Australia, resulting in the removal of 1,520 plants.
The original plants detected with the damaging disease in May 2018 had come from the Northern Territory.
West Australian minister of agriculture and food, Alannah MacTiernan, praised the efforts of those involved, saying: 'To achieve this result in such a relatively short time is credit to everyone involved, including the department's extensive surveillance effort right across the north.”
'This is fantastic news for our State's citrus growers, and for people living in our northern communities now able to enjoy citrus without any restrictions,” she added.
Restrictions remain in place for imports of citrus plants and material from the Northern Territory as they work towards area freedom.
