AU: Hopes for continued fruit fly control
The Victoria government recently declared that the pest was endemic in the north-east and east of the state, which raised fears that authority funded control would cease.
Since then, the Department of Primary Industries has asked horticultural bodies around Sunraysia to contribute more funding to control fruit fly, or risk losing its pest-free status.
The Murray Valley Citrus Board's Hugh Flett says industry representatives met with the government last week, and they're focused on getting a short-term agreement to keep the pest out of the region.
"All of the industries concerned and a couple who couldn't attend were steadfast in their support that the pest-free area must be maintained," he said.
"The last thing we'd want to see from a deregulation from the rest of the state is that we'd find infected product, either coming in via the commercial trade or via the general public."
Source: abc.net.au
