IMPORTED fresh fruit from the United States is unlikely to make its way to stores this winter after Biosecurity Australia invoked ''emergency measures'' today in a bid to keep out a damaging pest.
BA announced it would begin a pest risk analysis for the Spotted Wing Drosophila fly (Drosophila suzukii), which has caused tens of millions of dollars damage to blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums and grapes in the US in the past two years.
Unlike other species of vinegar fly, which lay eggs in damaged or decaying fruit, SWD attacks intact ripening fruit, which is then damaged by the feeding maggots.
As well as the PRA, BA now requires that strawberries imported from the US be fumigated with methyl-bromide, and a sample of 600 berries from each shipment be cut and confirmed as free of live flies, larvae or pupae.
Australian Table Grape Association chief executive Jeff Scott said there was enormous concern about the pest which had the potential to devastate the table grape industry, and others, if it was allowed into the country.
Speaking from Canberra where he has been meeting with BA officials to discuss a range of quarantine issues, Mr Scott said table grape imports from the US had effectively been halted.
''They won't start again until BA is satisfied the US has demonstrated appropriate control measures,'' he said.
''If they can't control it, and the pest is considered endemic, they would have to demonstrate to BA that the appropriate control measures they're putting forward will not allow that pest into Australia.
''That will take time .. (so) it is unlikely table grapes will be imported from the US this year.''
