The Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area (PFA) project has met with success with the first consignments of citrus being shipped under the new export arrangements to Japan.
Citrus growers from Mildura to Barham now have an annual window of opportunity to export their fruit to Japan without needing costly cold treatment to ensure it is free of Queensland fruit fly.
Better quarantine infrastructure, increased community and industry awareness of the importance of fruit fly, legislative compliance and rapid response arrangements have kept the Greater Sunraysia free from this devastating pest.
The Greater Sunraysia PFA project was established in 2006 to ensure growers in the region had access to international markets such as Japan.
Led by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in collaboration with NSW Department of Primary Industries, Swan Hill Summer Fruits Development Association, Australian Table Grape Growers Association, Murray Valley Citrus Marketing Board and Horticulture Australia Ltd, about $1.2 million has been spent on the project to date.
Previously Sunraysia citrus had to be transported to Shepparton for 16 days of cold disinfestation treatment before being exported which added about $4 per case to the production cost as well as impacting the quality and shelf-life of the fruit.
Further information about fruit fly is available on the DPI website at www.dpi.vic.gov.au or by contacting the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186.