Sunraysia fruit growers have their say on QFF management

29 March 2018

Citrus, stone fruit and table grape growers in the Greater Sunraysia region will be required to have their say in an upcoming poll on whether to create the proposed Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area Industry Development Order 2018.

Agriculture Victoria Policy Manager Mara Putnis said the poll gave the local fruit growing population the ability to decide whether the order is the right approach for the region.

If supported, the order would establish the Greater Sunraysia Pest Free Area Industry Development Committee for a further four years. The committee would collect payments from citrus, stone fruit and table grape growers in the Greater Sunraysia Production Area.

These funds would be used to coordinate the management and control of Queensland Fruit Fly across the production area, covering the north-west of Victoria and south-west of New South Wales.

"Management of Queensland Fruit Fly provides important assurance to trading partners that fruit fly is under formal control, so they know they are importing quality fruit from the Sunraysia region," Gary D'Arcy, Manager Domestic Quarantine Agriculture Victoria, said.

"It also provides an important framework to support management of other pests, such as Mediterranean Fruit Fly."

The vote will be held via postal ballot between 13 April and 1 May.

Ms Putnis emphasised the need for all citrus, stone fruit and table grape growers in the Greater Sunraysia region to register and confirm their postal details are correct for the compulsory vote.

This can be done by viewing the current roll of growers and updating their details at one of the 12 locations listed below, between 4 and 11 April 2018.

Growers will be entitled to a certain number of votes based on the hectares of land in which citrus fruit, stone fruit, table grapes or a combination of these are grown within the Greater Sunraysia Production Area.

To receive more than one vote, growers must provide a Statutory Declaration of the number of farming hectares when they register their postal details.

"This vote represents an important opportunity for the citrus, stone fruit and table grape industries to be directly involved in the management of Queensland Fruit Fly in the Greater Sunraysia production area," Ms Putnis said.

For more information, visit the Agriculture Victoria website or call the Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

Locations available to check electoral roll details:

Victorian Electoral Commission

Level 11, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne Vic 3000

Agriculture Victoria, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources

Melbourne Office, Level 26, 1 Spring Street, Melbourne Vic 3000

Swan Hill Office, 324 Campbell Street, Swan Hill Vic 3585

Mildura Office, Corner Koorlong Avenue & Eleventh Street, Irymple Vic 3498

Kerang Office, 26 Wellington Street, Kerang Vic 3579

NSW Department of Primary Industries

Dareton Research Station, 1998 Silver City Highway, Dareton NSW 2717

Local Government

Mildura Rural City Council, 105 Madden Ave, Mildura, Victoria 3200

Swan Hill Rural City Council, Swan Hill Region Information Centre, Cnr McCrae & Curlewis Streets, Swan Hill, Victoria 3535

Gannawarra Shire Council, Patchell Plaza, 47 Victoria St, Kerang, Victoria 3579

Balranald Shire Council, 70 Market Street, Balranald NSW 2715

Wentworth Shire Council, 26-28 Adelaide Street, Wentworth NSW 2648

Murray River Council, 15 Murray St, Barham, NSW 2732