To strengthen the protection of our internationally recognised Riverland Pest Free Area (PFA), growers and distributors of fruit fly host produce must now ensure that an approved treatment is applied to produce before it is sent to the Riverland PFA, either directly or via Adelaide.
Accreditations based on pre-harvest treatments and post-harvest inspections will no longer be accepted for such consignments.
The change is part of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions’ (PIRSA) mission to provide market access continuity for the state’s horticulture products.
While there has been no change to ICA-33 (Movement of winegrapes – phylloxera and fruit fly) affecting the grape and wine industry, there has been a change relevant to table grapes which will impact some vineyard owners.
‘Condition 12F Pre-harvest treatment and post-harvest inspection of table grapes – Queensland fruit fly – systems approach’ under the SA Plant Quarantine Standard version 17.2 is no longer a recognised treatment for table grapes entering the Riverland PFA.
Under Condition 12F, table grapes must be subjected to the conditions of an approved ICA Arrangement (ICA20), which utilises a specified combination of pre-harvest treatment and post harvest inspection.
PIRSA advises that growers may, with specific approval, still use ICA treatments such as ICA20 during a fruit fly outbreak within a fruit fly affected area to reach accepting markets (such as Adelaide metropolitan). However, produce not approved for general distribution into the SA Riverland, such as table grapes, even if grown and certified under ICA20, must not move to or within the Riverland including the fruit fly affected areas.
In light of this change and others affecting other horticultural produce, some amendments have occurred to the Import Verification Compliance Arrangement (IVCA) CA-01 Manual which we are aware that a number of wine businesses use. This includes an additional Requirements section 6.1 regarding ‘Movement of Produce into the Riverland Pest Free Area’. We advise these businesses to ensure they are working from the most current version of the document at all times.
If you are a table grape grower affected by the above change, we strongly advise you to contact PIRSA’s industry hotline on 08 8207 7814 or email PIRSA.PlantHealthMarketAccess@sa.gov.au.
In step with these ICA changes, as at 29 July 2021, PIRSA also advises that domestic travellers can no longer use a receipt showing proof of purchase in South Australia, to bring any fruit and vegetables into the Riverland, that can be a host for fruit fly. For further information, refer PIRSA’s resource kit.