It has been almost two years since the state's primary industries department declared the first outbreak in the Riverland and the Brookes are concerned it is becoming impossible to eradicate the pest. Ongoing and widespread fruit fly outbreaks in the region have caused restrictions to be placed on various properties, which means fruit cannot be moved off the premises.
South Australia's primary industries department is managing 16 outbreaks of Queensland fruit fly in the Riverland. Fruit movement restrictions are in place across the region until March next year. The state government has spent $20 million so far on measures to eradicate the pest.
Source: abc.net.au