Australian officials have reinstated fruit fly freedom status for a number of key grape producing regions in Victoria.
The new area freedom, announced to the industry yesterday, means the availability of Australian grapes should rise significantly over the next few weeks for export markets requiring strict fruit fly controls.
Thailand in particular should see a big shift in available volumes, David Minnis of M&A Exports told Asiafruit.
“The `new Thai quarantine` protocol’s up and running, but we haven’t got many growers that can pack for them because of fruit fly. But an industry notice just issued today has opened up a few more areas,” he said yesterday. “That includes…earlier areas like Yelta and Merbein East, which will provide much more volume for Thailand.”
Between Thailand’s new protocol, which now requires cold sterilisation for fruit fly affected areas, and the slightly later season, very few Australian grapes are on the Thai market at the moment, Minnis detailed.
Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) fruit fly response state director Gary D’Arcy said in a statement that 23 outbreak areas have now been cleared of Queensland fruit fly (QFF).
“There are another seven declared outbreak regions where the DPI and industry are working hard to eradicate QFF and reinstate freedom at a further six sites under a chemical control program,” D’Arcy said.
Cool weather has delayed sugar levels this season around the Mildura export production hub, and volumes are down from a small fruit set, but quality is reportedly looking very good.
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