Fruit fly and trade Hypotheticals
The National Fruit Fly Council (NFFC) hosted almost 90 industry stakeholders in Brisbane and Melbourne this week to explore potential trade disruptions if Australia’s fruit fly distribution were to change and what it would mean for industry.
Over $600 million in annual horticultural export trade relies on phytosanitary agreements with fruit fly sensitive countries that have been negotiated on the basis of our current Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) and Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) east-west distribution.
Changes or suspected changes to our fruit fly distribution could result in suspended trade and/or changes to market access criteria in both export and domestic markets.
Industry stakeholders explored difference scenarios if the invisible line of fruit fly distribution is crossed. Possible changes, preparedness, timing and costs were among the topics discussed.