Senator the Hon Murray Watt
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management
The Hon Clare Scriven MLC
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development and Minister for Forest Industries
The newly expanded National Sterile Insect Technology (SIT) facility at Port Augusta has boosted the Riverland fruit fly eradication response as it reaches the full production capacity of 40 million flies a week.
Funded under the Federal Government's $30 million Building Resilience to Manage Fruit Fly package, with additional contributions from PIRSA and Citrus SA, the facility's $3 million expansion, which opened in September, has doubled the number of sterile Queensland fruit flies (Q-fly) produced at the facility from 20 to 40 million a week, all of which are being sent to Riverland as part of the response to the current outbreaks in the region.
Production reached the facility's new capacity earlier than originally anticipated due to a boost in egg production with the expansion providing the perfect conditions for sterile fly production.
The additional capacity at the Port Augusta facility is a boon for the SIT component of the Riverland fruit fly response program with a total of three SIT release operations currently occurring at Murtho, Bookpurnong and Wonuarra.
The program reduces the fruit fly population by mating the sterile flies with wild flies, resulting in no fertile offspring. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) has already commenced staff recruitment for the expanded site with 7-8 new positions created as a result of the expansion.
Fruit flies are the world's worst horticultural pest, destroying fruit and vegetables in commercial crops, home gardens and impacting on trade access. In Australia, Q-fly is one of two major species that impacts fruit and vegetable crops, the other being Mediterranean or Medfly. Currently there are 45 outbreaks in the Riverland with the latest outbreak announced last month at Glossop B.
For more information on the National SIT Facility and SIT operations visit www.fruitfly.sa.gov.au.
As put by Federal Minister for Agriculture, Murray Watt
The Albanese Government continues to support the ongoing efforts of the Malinauskas Government in its battle to eradicate Q-fly from the Riverland.
With current forecasts by ABARES indicating Australia is set to produce $17.6 billion of horticulture this year, with approximately half susceptible to fruit fly, to have the facility reach its production capacity earlier than planned is wonderful news to producers.
It's why projects such as this expanded facility at Port Augusta, funded under the Building Resilience to Manage Fruit Fly package, are so important in offering long term sustainable management solutions in managing this pest. Not only does it help to protect the horticulture sector from fruit fly but also contributes towards reduced costs throughout the supply chain from growers right through to the supermarket shelf.
As put by Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven
Since the original facility opened in Port Augusta seven years ago, South Australia has been at the forefront in Australian research into sterile insect technology for Q-fly.
Understanding the importance of the sterile insect operation to the outbreak response in the Riverland is why this expansion work to the Q-fly facility was undertaken as a priority and I am excited with full production capacity now achieved, the SIT operations in the region will be able to take advantage of this boost in available flies.
The South Australian Government is committed to retaining South Australia's fruit fly free status and is using every tool at its disposal to eradicate the current outbreaks we are experiencing in the Riverland and to protect our vital $1.45 billion horticulture industry at risk from fruit fly.
It is also why the State Government welcomes the generous $20 million in support from the Australian Government's National Building Resilience to Manage Fruit Fly package which doesn't only include the expansion of the SIT Facility, but also initiatives such as maintaining national sterile Medfly capacity, the national rollout of electronic Plant Health Assurance Certification, and additional random roadblocks to protect the Riverland Pest Free Area.
As put by Mark Doecke, Chair Citrus SA
Since the production of sterile Q-flies commenced in Port Augusta in 2016, the use of SIT in subsequent responses has been crucial in managing fruit fly outbreaks within South Australia.
This doubling of capacity will not only help in the current fight against Q-fly in the Riverland but will also significantly assist South Australia to keep its all-important fruit fly free status into the future.
We recognise the importance the Pt Augusta facility plays in retaining and expanding market confidence in our premium produce.
