NATIONAL fruit fly management is absolutely critical to the ongoing success of Australian horticulture and certainly for cherry growers, says Cherry Growers Australia federal president, Tom Eastlake, Young.
The 2020-2025 National Fruit Fly Strategy (NFFC) launched in Mid-November will provide a framework for governments, industry and research funders to advance fruit fly management in Australia.
A member of the NFFC, Mr Eastlake said the plan was something cherry growers and horticulture generally had to invest in and very good to have this agreed to and signed-off by all states.
NFFC chair, Lloyd Klumpp, said the plan was a blueprint for national cooperation as the council sought to both manage existing pest fruit fly species (Queensland fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly), and prevent exotic species like Oriental fruit fly establishing in Australia.
Technical manager, Nutrano Produce Group, also a council member, said a focus of the strategy was to maintain and advance access to domestic and international markets for fruit fly affected industries, while Sarah Corcoran, CEO of Plant Health Australia (PHA), said it built on a draft released by the PHA in 2008.
"Actions required to meet whole of industry needs have been captured under eight different, yet interdependent, priority areas including market access, management of established fruit fly, prevention, preparedness and response, research, surveillance, diagnostics, community and engagement, and cooperation," Ms Corcoran said.
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Mr Klumpp said while the Council would oversee the strategy's implementation, the real strength relied on the contribution every individual and organisation would make to combating fruit fly.
"Effective management of fruit fly relies on cooperation at all levels of government, and between bodies, research institutions, regional groups, growers and home gardeners," he said, encouraging all to consider using this strategy framework when planning and executing fruit fly management.
Mr Eastlake said cherry growers would prefer not to fumigate for export, but to rely on the system to ensure not pests of concern.
