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Pack your lunch right to help stop SA’s fruit fly spread

With nine fruit fly outbreaks in metropolitan Adelaide and three in the Riverland, residents need to be aware of the restrictions on the movement of fruit to avoid inadvertently risk spreading the fruit fly.

With school returning for another year, the South Australian Government is calling on residents living in fruit fly outbreak areas to do the right thing when packing school or work lunches to help stop the fruit fly spread.

Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham said with nine fruit fly outbreaks in metropolitan Adelaide and three in the Riverland, residents need to be aware of the restrictions on the movement of fruit to avoid inadvertently risk spreading the fruit fly.

“I am calling on everyone, particularly those living in the outbreak areas, to do the right thing to help stop the spread of fruit fly. It only takes one piece of fruit to cause devastation to our horticulture industry and impact backyard growers,” Minister Basham said.

“This means if you live, work or go to school in an affected area, home-grown fruit and fruiting vegetables must not be included in lunch boxes or otherwise moved around, they must be consumed at home.

“If you live in an affected area any shop-bought fruit and fruiting vegetables must also be kept secure when taken home – this means in a sealed bag or other container – and it must then remain at home.

“However, you can eat, cook, juice or preserve your own home-grown produce and home-grown and purchased fruit continues to be safe to eat.

“Safe, fresh alternatives for lunch boxes include pineapple, melons (watermelon, rockmelon, and honeydew), cucumber, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, celery, mushrooms, and asparagus. Other options include cooked fruit, processed fruit (such as fruit straps), fruit puree, canned fruit or frozen fruit.

“The Marshall Government is leaving no stone unturned to protect our $1.3 billion fruit fly-vulnerable horticulture industry.

“While all available resources are being targeted into both the Riverland and metropolitan Adelaide outbreaks to ensure the eradication of fruit flies, we all have vital roles to play to ensure we see the back of this pest.”

Find a list of the fruit and vegetables that can be infected at www.pir.sa.gov.au/fruitfly-produce.

For further information and tips on what residents in outbreak and suspension areas need to do, visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/fruitfly.

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