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PIRSA's fruit fly prevention methods

South Australia is the only mainland Australian state where fruit fly is not established. Our Riverland region also has a unique Pest Free Area, without established fruit fly populations.

This rare fruit fly free status has significant benefits to our state.

Fruit fly free status

Keeping our state fruit fly free is vital to the $1.3 billion horticultural industry that is at risk from fruit fly. This sector supports 4,000 horticultural businesses and employs 37,500 people in South Australia.

Production of fruit, vegetables, wine grapes, and almonds, particularly in the Riverland and Murraylands, is protected.

South Australian producers and growers have access to lucrative export markets including Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and the United States – worth around $70 million.

Overseas markets value our fruit fly free status as the fruit and vegetables require less intervention.

Our horticultural industries save millions a year in production costs of pre-harvest or post-harvest treatment. They also have higher product marketability and reduced insecticide residue issues.

Home gardeners continue to enjoy home grown fruit and vegetables that are fruit fly free. With reduced pesticides, they avoid the costs of spray treatments.

Protected horticulture industry

Keeping our state fruit fly free is vital to the $1.3 billion horticultural industry that is at risk from fruit fly. This sector supports 4,000 horticultural businesses and employs 37,500 people in South Australia.

Production of fruit, vegetables, wine grapes, and almonds, particularly in the Riverland and Murraylands, is protected.

Access to overseas markets

South Australian producers and growers have access to lucrative export markets including Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and the United States – worth around $70 million.

Overseas markets value our fruit fly free status as the fruit and vegetables require less intervention.

Less chemical treatment

Our horticultural industries save millions a year in production costs of pre-harvest or post-harvest treatment. They also have higher product marketability and reduced insecticide residue issues.

Home gardeners continue to enjoy home grown fruit and vegetables that are fruit fly free. With reduced pesticides, they avoid the costs of spray treatments.

Fruit fly management

It is important for South Australia to remain fruit fly free using strategic prevention. This includes:

  1. Implementing travel restrictions to control the movement of fruit and vegetables into and within SA.
  2. Monitoring for fruit fly across the state – our Fruit Fly Officers visit gardens in red outbreak areas and place traps baited with an organic solution to help detect fruit flies.
  3. Conducting research and deploying sterile fruit flies to interrupt the breeding cycle.

Community awareness and industry support

We promote awareness of what to do about fruit fly by:

  • running advertising campaigns
  • installing signs and billboards in SA and interstate about our travel restrictions.

To help support affected communities and businesses, we are responsible for:

  • managing the Fruit Fly Hotline for reporting maggots in fruit and vegetables
  • providing community response measures during a fruit fly outbreak
  • helping businesses through prevention or management activities in a fruit fly outbreak.
Page Last Reviewed: 06 Mar 2025

 

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