A PERTH Hills grower is less than impressed with the State government alternatives to fight against Mediterranean fruit fly in his area.
Orchardist John Della Franca said the decision by the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) to spend $1 - $2 million of non-Government money on Area Wide Management (AWM) to control Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) across the Perth Hills will devastate local fruit growers.
Mr Della Franca said that the Department had been studying the fruit fly problem for 20 years but was still only offering growers in the Hills another trial with no new money for a large scale control program.
“The time for trials should be over – we need a full scale Area Wide Management program or fruit fly will destroy our industry,” Mr Della Franca said.
This was despite DAFWA announcing last November, a program to release up to five million sterile Mediterranean fruit flies per week in Carnarvon in 2015 and a biosecurity officer for inspection, hygiene and enforcement duties across commercial and residential properties.
The four-year pilot, led by the department in conjunction with local growers and the community, will coordinate a range of area-wide control measures to stamp out Medfly.
Project operations manager Ernie Steiner said Medfly infested a wide range of fruit and vegetables.
“Restrictions on the use of cover spray chemicals such as fenthion mean that a range of coordinated control measures will be essential to combat Medfly, especially in areas like Carnarvon with high pest pressure,” Mr Steiner said.
“Carnarvon is an ideal location to run this pilot, as it is isolated from other horticultural areas and a coordinated community baiting scheme to control Medfly is already in place.”
But Mr Della Franca said the program was the exact course of action that local growers have asked the Department to implement in the Perth Hills.
“We are happy for and supportive of the producers of Carnarvon, but disappointed that Hills growers are viewed as second class,” he said.
DAFWA advised the Federal regulator and a Senate inquiry into the impact of banning fenthion that Area Wide Management, trapping and baiting was a successful alternative method of control.
Mr Della Franca said the Department’s response to the ban is another watered down trial in Karragullen – leaving Karragullen marginally protected but the rest of the $40+ million-a-year Perth Hills fruit crop vulnerable.
A DAFWA spokesperson said the department was working with industry including Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA) on a proposal to implement area-wide management approaches to Medfly control in the Perth Hills.
“This proposal would be led and funded by industry/industry groups and supported by the community,” the spokesperson said.
“The proposed project requires funding support from industry to progress. DAFWA would provide technical support to assist in development and implementation of this program, including monitoring, extension, research, sterile Medfly releases and compliance.
“Funding mechanisms could include HIA, grower levies and other funding opportunities.
“How the proposed management approach would be implemented, its cost and funding allocations are not yet determined and will depend on the number of grower and community groups and local government areas which become involved.
