YOUR PRODUCTION
DPIRD’s Queensland fruit fly response tracking well
T
he Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) eradication program in Perth’s western suburbs is tracking well with no Qfly found for more than two months.
Impact to economy
The Qfly outbreak was declared by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in late March.
WA’s Area Freedom from Qfly, which underpins market access for a range of produce is essential to ensure produce can be exported without treatment or other protocols being followed.
Qfly response personnel have visited more than 13,000 individual properties and identified over 250,000 Qfly host plants. The eradication program recently saw its response personnel conduct their 120,000th Qfly property inspection. The largest outbreak since WA’s first Qfly incursion in 1989, Qfly has been eradicated in Perth seven times since 1989, most recently in Como and Fremantle in 2018.
WA’s commercial fruit and vegetable industries are valued at approximately $1.083 billion annually. It is vital for WA’s horticultural industries, and also for home gardeners growing Qfly host plants, that DPIRD eradicates Qfly.
It would also make it more difficult for gardeners to grow fruiting plants in their gardens.
What has been happening with the response lately? In mid-September, DPIRD established a Forward Command Post at Claremont Showground, which lies within the Quarantine Area (QA). This has allowed the Qfly operations team to more efficiently conduct the intensive Qfly baiting and surveillance program, known as the Spring baiting program.
No Queensland fruit fly found for more than two months.
A DPIRD cost benefit analysis has shown that loss of freedom from Qfly will cost WA $38 million per year. A change in Qfly pest free status would impact the international export of avocados, table grapes and strawberries to markets such as Japan that rely on WA’s freedom from Qfly. The suspension of domestic or international trade, and any increased phytosanitary treatment costs, would place an additional burden on industry.
This move provides the Qfly operations team with adequate space to complete important operational activities such as bait mixing whilst increasing office space and car parking. These facilities have also provided significant advantages in reducing Occupational Health and Safety risks. The operation is a priority for DPIRD with significant resources allocated to the incident. Approximately 350 personnel have been employed, including nine Royal Agricultural Society of WA staff who have been unable to work on activities related to the Perth Royal Show. Field work has been conducted by up to 124 teams requiring 153 vehicles, 163 smart phones for data entry, personal protective equipment, baiting equipment, sample kits and paperwork.
3 QFLY response personnel viewing the latest data from the field.
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WA Grower SUMMER 2020
Field teams commence at 6.45am daily, with the last of the field teams finishing at 5.30pm. Several teams have been working on Saturdays to schedule visits where residents are unavailable during the week.
