❓ WA government is taking steps to assess and mitigate the threat of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) following its detection in South Australia, including quarantine measures and risk assessments. They are engaging with industry and retailers to safeguard the WA horticultural industry.
AnsweredQoN 994Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
TOMATO BROWN RUGOSE
FRUIT VIRUS
994. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to the detection of tomato
brown rugose fruit virus on the northern Adelaide plains in South Australia.
(1) What actions
have been taken by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development to ascertain the extent of the outbreak and the level of threat to Western
Australia?
(2) What processes have been enacted
to safeguard the Western Australian horticultural industry?
(3) Has there
been any consideration of closing the Western Australian border to affected
produce sourced in South Australia; and, if not, at what point would such a decision
be made?
FRUIT VIRUS
994. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the Minister for Agriculture and
Food:
I refer to the detection of tomato
brown rugose fruit virus on the northern Adelaide plains in South Australia.
(1) What actions
have been taken by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development to ascertain the extent of the outbreak and the level of threat to Western
Australia?
(2) What processes have been enacted
to safeguard the Western Australian horticultural industry?
(3) Has there
been any consideration of closing the Western Australian border to affected
produce sourced in South Australia; and, if not, at what point would such a decision
be made?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Following the detection of ToBRFV in South
Australia, DPIRD has attended regular updates from South Australia via
the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests; undertaken a rapid risk assessment to identify hosts and pathways for
ToBRFV; worked closely with South Australia to trace seed and plant material from the infected properties
that may have moved into Western Australia; communicated with WA
industry representative and stakeholders; and implemented immediate quarantine
measures on seed, nursery stock, fruit and packaging from any infected
properties as information became available.
(2) Quarantine
measures remain in place for seed, nursery stock, fruit and packaging from
infected properties. Eight consignments that were in transit from infected
properties in South Australia have been intercepted and re-exported out of the
state.
(3) DPIRD
continues to assess the risk and has determined that interim emergency import
requirements are justified for all pathways. These are being finalised and will
apply to any state or territory where ToBRFV is known to occur. WA industry has
been informed of this. DPIRD will continue to engage nationally on host,
pathways and market access conditions for ToBRFV. I have written to the chief
executive officers of Coles and Woolworths
to understand what potential impacts the detection of ToBRFV in South Australia may have on the supply of snacking tomatoes in WA, and I am urging them to
consider local WA tomato producers to fill any gaps in supply.
some notice of the question.
(1) Following the detection of ToBRFV in South
Australia, DPIRD has attended regular updates from South Australia via
the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests; undertaken a rapid risk assessment to identify hosts and pathways for
ToBRFV; worked closely with South Australia to trace seed and plant material from the infected properties
that may have moved into Western Australia; communicated with WA
industry representative and stakeholders; and implemented immediate quarantine
measures on seed, nursery stock, fruit and packaging from any infected
properties as information became available.
(2) Quarantine
measures remain in place for seed, nursery stock, fruit and packaging from
infected properties. Eight consignments that were in transit from infected
properties in South Australia have been intercepted and re-exported out of the
state.
(3) DPIRD
continues to assess the risk and has determined that interim emergency import
requirements are justified for all pathways. These are being finalised and will
apply to any state or territory where ToBRFV is known to occur. WA industry has
been informed of this. DPIRD will continue to engage nationally on host,
pathways and market access conditions for ToBRFV. I have written to the chief
executive officers of Coles and Woolworths
to understand what potential impacts the detection of ToBRFV in South Australia may have on the supply of snacking tomatoes in WA, and I am urging them to
consider local WA tomato producers to fill any gaps in supply.
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