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Fruit Fly Zone Information |
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Fruit flies are the world's worst fruit pest because they destroy fruit and vegetables grown commercially and in home gardens.
Freedom from fruit fly in South Australia allows producers access to world markets valued in excess of $250 million annually. To keep SA free of fruit fly and other plant pests, it is important that quarantine restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables are strictly observed. Section 13 of the Fruit and Plant Protection Act 1992, provides that an offence is committed by persons who introduce fruit and vegetables into South Australia from other States. The penalty prescribed by this Section is a maximum fine of $2,500.
It is illegal to take fresh fruit into the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone (FFEZ). The list of fresh fruit prohibited entry into the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone is so comprehensive that it is simpler to remember not to travel with any fresh fruit but instead carry dried or preserved fruit.
Permanent quarantine roadblocks operate at Ceduna on the Eyre Highway , Pinnaroo on the Mallee Highway , Oodla Wirra on the Barrier Highway and at Yamba on the Sturt Highway . Random roadblocks operate on other road entry points into South Australia . Over the next three months a series of four quarantine warning signs and permanent disposal pits will be installed on each of the nine major highway entry points into this State. Similarly State quarantine is reinforced at the Adelaide Airport by Australian Quarantine Inspection Service Detector Dog teams. Over the last 12 months our inspectors have seized 80 tonnes of fruit and vegetables at our permanent roadblock sites, 8 tonnes at the Adelaide Airport while similar amounts have been voluntarily placed into roadside bins and pits by caring travellers.
"Motorists should be aware of random roadblocks operating on borders within the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone again this summer season. Those who ignore roadside signs advising them to eat or dispose of fresh fruit before entering the Zone face minimum $200 on-the-spot fines," Ms Marrows Voullaire, TriState Fruit Fly Education Officer said. "If the offence warrants, travellers may face proceedings in court where fines up to $20,000 may be imposed." Motorists who fail to heed roadside warning signs about bringing fruit into southern fruit growing areas of the FFEZ which includes the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, Murray Valley, Goulburn Valley, Sunraysia and the Riverland have received a timely - and in some cases costly - reminder. |
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People returning from holidays on the north coast of NSW or Queensland pose the greatest risk. Motorists travelling into South Australia are also warned that it is illegal to bring fresh fruit back from Western Australia or the Northern Territory as well as NSW and Victoria. It is also illegal to carry fresh fruit from Adelaide into the Riverland.
Backyard grown fruit, including tomatoes, from any region has an extremely high likelihood of being infested with fruit flies and is not to be carried into the FFEZ. Although the greatest risk is throughout the fruit fly season from November to March, fresh fruit cannot be brought into the FFEZ all year round. Fresh fruit is the only way that fruit fly (as eggs or maggots) can be transported from one place to another.
Ms Marrows Voullaire said any fruit accidentally brought into the FFEZ by motorists should be destroyed by placing it in a thick plastic bag, tying the top and leaving it in the sun for a few days before disposing of it with normal garbage. Fruit fly outbreaks cause interstate and export trade restrictions, including the loss of lucrative markets. As a result, the livelihood of horticultural communities is at stake.
The list of prohibited fresh fruit into the FFEZ (as set out in the NSW Plant Diseases Act 1924) includes fruits that are hosts of Queensland fruit fly.
All citrus fruit (citron, cumquat, grapefruit, kumquat, lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, pummelo, shaddock, tangelo, tangor).
Pome fruits (such as apple, crab apple, pear, quince etc)
All stone fruit (apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, peacharine, plum plumcot).
Tropical or temperate fruits (such as avocado, banana, berries, feijoa, fig, guava, grapes, loquats, mango, passionfruit, pawpaw, persimmon, black sapote, breadfruit, caimito or star apple, carambola or starfruit, casimiroa or white sapote, custard apple, durian guava, jabotica, jackfruit, longan, lychee, mangosteen, papaya, rambutan, sapodilla, soursop, sweetsop or sugar apple etc)
Berry fruit (blackberry, blueberry, boysenberry, cape gooseberry, longanberry, mulberry, raspberry, strawberry, youngberry).
and abiu, babaco, Brasilian cherry, cashew apple, cherimoya, dates (fresh), feijoa, fig, granadilla, grumichama, jujubes, kiwifruit or Chinese gooseberries, loquat, medlars, pepino, persimmon, pomegranate, prickly pear, rollinia, santol, tamarillo, walnuts (green) and wax jambu.
Any fruiting vegetable (such as capsicum, chilli, eggplant, tomato, tamarillo etc)
South Australian regulations also include: beans, potatoes and any members of the allium family (garlic, leeks, onions, shallots, spring onions etc)
Fruit that is not prohibited includes coffee berry, pineapple, okra and olives.
You cannot enter South Australia with fruit or vegetables of any type and you should not cross state borders into Victoria or New South Wales with host fruit or vegetables. When crossing the state border in South Australia, all fresh fruit will be confiscated, even if it has been purchased within the exclusion zone.
Because Mediterranean fruit fly also affects South Australia, their prohibited fruit list is even more expansive. Check with the Primary Industries & Resources South Australia for this information. (1300 666 010 local call cost)
"There can be no excuses for motorists who are caught bringing fruit into the FFEZ because annually there is an extensive awareness campaign which includes television, radio, press and other outlets targeting motorists. Fresh fruit is forbidden entry into the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone", Ms Marrows Voullaire concludes.
LATEST NEWS
For information on the new Pest Free Area for a Greater Sunraysia including banned produce, responsibilities, fines and information on fruit flys visit:
http://pestfreearea.com.au/
http://fruitfly.net.au/
Contact:Department of Primary Industries, Sunraysia Horticulture Centre, PO Box 905, Mildura, VIC, 3502 Phone: 03 50514500 Fax: 03 50514523 State plant quarantine authorities can be contacted on freecall number 1800 084 881 during business hours Monday to Friday. Further details are at: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/pest-and-weeds-management/insect-pests/qff |
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