Source: Adelaide Now
The curse of the fruit growing industry has struck again with an outbreak of fruit fly declared at Kilburn in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.
The outbreak, the first of the season, was confirmed after detection of a fertile female Mediterranean fruit fly in a trap.
South Australia is the only mainland state that is fruit fly-free and enjoys better access to export markets because of it, while consumers can enjoy backyard fruit free from fruit-fly maggots.
Biosecurity SA has imposed a 1.5 kilometre quarantine area around the detection site and the eradication response program will continue for 10 to 12 weeks after the last “wild” fly is found, subject to weather conditions.
The quarantine area is near the intersection of Churchill and Regency Roads and includes parts of the suburbs of Regency Park, Dudley Park, Blair Athol and Kilburn.
“If fruit fly becomes established in South Australia, this could jeopardise markets for our $675 million fresh fruit and vegetable industry,” Mr Raven said.
Mr Raven said it was particularly important that people understand their responsibilities in helping keep South Australia fruit-fly free and comply with regulations.
“People within the quarantine zones must not remove fresh fruit, fruiting vegetables or garden waste from their properties, or compost fruit and vegetables, during the eradication program,” he said. “But fruit and vegetable waste can be placed in green waste bins as usual.”
Potential hosts for the pest, including home-grown fruit and fruiting vegetables, can only be removed from the quarantine area if they are cooked or processed.
This includes tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, eggplant, stone fruits, pome fruits, citrus, loquats and table grapes.
Mr Raven said an organic bait-spotting program would be undertaken until no further wild fruit flies were detected.