As we continue to move closer to the nominated end dates for the lifting of movement requirements relating to current fruit fly outbreaks in South Australia’s Riverland and metropolitan Adelaide, we reflect on the enormity of the efforts undertaken to get the state’s fruit fly freedom status reinstated.
We commend the PIRSA team for their hard work in managing the multiple fruit fly outbreaks, in conjunction with industry and the public.
However, we received notification from PIRSA on 7 December 2021 of a single detection of Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) in the current Ridleyton suspension area as part of the metropolitan Adelaide fruit fly affected area. For further detail on implications of this detection for industry, refer to Vinehealth Australia’s 8 December 2021 Biosecurity Alert here.
The nominated end dates for the lifting of movement requirements relevant to the wine industry for current fruit fly outbreaks in South Australia are:
- Riverland Qfly – 27 December 2021
- Metropolitan Adelaide Medfly – 22 December 2021
- Metropolitan Adelaide Qfly – 22 February 2022
Please continue to refer to the fruit fly outbreaks webpage on Vinehealth’s website for any updates. Any new outbreaks will be communicated via a Biosecurity Alert as well.
If any of your colleagues need to be signed up to receive our communications, including our E-news, Biosecurity Bulletins, Biosecurity Alerts or Industry Notices, please ask them to sign up here.
Given the Ridleyton extension, Vinehealth urges affected vineyard owners and wineries in particular, to consider how you might be impacted for vintage 2022. This includes understanding what preparedness activities can be undertaken now, to reduce the risk of disruption to harvest logistics. This advice also extends to vineyard owners and wineries impacted last season from the Riverland fruit fly outbreaks, if the current outbreaks extend, or a new outbreak occurs.
As previously advised, Vinehealth recently published a Biosecurity Bulletin titled ‘Vintage requirements for fruit fly in South Australia’. This Bulletin details the quarantine requirements for winegrape vineyards and winemakers in the event of a fruit fly outbreak in South Australia.
These include operational requirements applicable to vineyard practices, and movement requirements applicable to some winegrape material between vineyards and wineries or processing facilities.
Vinehealth encourages vineyard owners and wineries to read this Bulletin carefully now and to decide what actions to take in preparation for the upcoming vintage.