More than 200,000 samples have been tested across 109 properties with no positive detections since March 2025
South Australia has been declared free of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), paving the way for impacted growers to return to full trade right across the eastern seaboard.
The state government issued an Area Freedom Certificate on 3 October, which provides certification for interstate markets that South Australia is now free of ToBRFV following extensive testing across the state’s tomato-growing regions.
More than 200,000 samples have been tested across 109 properties, providing strong evidence that the virus is no longer present in South Australia, following no detections of the virus in SA since March 2025.
ToBRFV is a highly contagious plant virus that affects tomatoes, capsicums and chillies, and while it has no human health impacts, it significantly reduces yields and marketability.
It was first detected in tomatoes in the Northern Adelaide Plains in August 2024, which was the first time the virus had ever been confirmed in Australia.
Measures were put in place to stop the spread of the virus in order to protect South Australia’s A$230mn tomato and capsicum sector. The virus was successfully contained to three businesses.
