ONE of Australia's biggest pests is going to come under fire thanks to federal government funding.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A $30 million program is designed to help stop the spread of fruit fly, which poses a variety of problems for the nation's horticulture sector.
The funding will go towards a variety of measures aimed at stopping the pest from reproducing, including upgrades to state-managed roadblocks and quarantine stations, expansion of sterile insect technology capability to drive down pest pressure in vulnerable areas and post-harvest treatment infrastructure.
The announcement comes after the government released $16.9 million in 2018 to be used during the past four years to help modernise fruit fly management. Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the funds would go a long way in supporting the industry.
"Australia produces around $6.5 billion worth of crops that fruit fly would love a piece of, so it's important to protect our horticulture industries and we'll work with our state and territory counterparts to make sure our farmers can get the best out of their crops year in, year out," he said.
"Fruit fly is a significant pest for our horticultural industries, so we need to tackle the issue from different angles.
"We're looking to stop the spread of fruit fly through regional Australia, while also driving the numbers of fruit flies down."
Read Also:
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the funding would be a win-win for his federal New England electorate.
Mr Joyce who is also Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, said tackling the fruit fly was a win-win for exporters in New England.
"We'll work together with our state and territory government counterparts to make sure our farmers can get the best out of their crops year in, year out."
"We are committed to getting the best outcomes for our horticulture growers in New England so they can achieve their export potential and access premium prices for their produce," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
"By staying on top of fruit fly we can not only continue to supply our trading partners with quality produce, we can look further afield to new markets as well."
Senator for South Australia Anne Ruston said Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie deserved a lot of credit for advocating for the funds.
"It's vital to get fruit fly off the table as a barrier for local producers and ensure regions like the Adelaide Hills and Riverland can continue to access lucrative export markets," Senator Ruston said.
"A key component of this is our commitment to build critical post-harvest infrastructure in South Australia to meet immediate needs in response to increasing outbreaks.
"South Australia is a horticulture powerhouse and this will help us to continue to punch above our weight into the future.
"We are committed to supporting our growers to achieve their potential and the communities that rely on them."
Love agricultural news? Sign up for The Land's free daily newsletter.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
