TABLE grape, citrus and stone fruit growers may soon fund efforts to eradicate fruit fly in the Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area (GSPFA).
The GSPFA pest-free status for international trade was voluntarily suspended earlier this year by the Victorian and New South Wales governments. This decision was made in answer to constant outbreaks of Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) in the region.
Most recently outbreaks have been reported south of Kerang and north of Swan Hill, while QFF were also detected at an area west of Lake Boga in June. To deal with outbreaks, a new mechanism to collect funds for eradication efforts has been proposed, with growers set to vote on the strategy in coming months.
The industry order would see the formation of a committee “to collect a charge, and provide services to prevent and eradicate QFF”, with growers in the area paying a fee of up to $3.50 per tonne towards the activities. Growers would be required to contribute if they have at least 150 citrus fruit bearing trees, or produce at least 1000kg of stone fruit or table grapes per annum.
For the first year, the charge per tonne would be $3.
The state government would contribute in-kind support, to an equivalent value of 30 per cent of total funding.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh said as the order would be made under Agricultural Industry Development Act 1990, it would be in place for the next four years.
For the full story, pick up a copy of Monday’s Guardian (July 28).
