The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) continues to respond to the detection of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in the Northern Adelaide Plains.
Current situation
PIRSA is becoming confident that it has determined the extent of the virus, although surveillance and tracing will continue.
Three businesses are still confirmed with ToBRFV in South Australia and are under quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus. Fourteen properties have now been advised that ToBRFV has not been detected in their test samples.
Over 3,000 samples have been tested, and Case Managers will continue to contact businesses with results as they come in.
Are you waiting on results?
If you are waiting on results and plan to remove or destroy tomato or capsicum plant material, please notify us by contacting our Incident Controller on 8429 0135. If an inconclusive test result is received, another sample may need to be collected for re-testing.
Interstate movement restrictions
From 1 October 2024, Tasmania has implemented an emergency biosecurity direction preventing the movement of tomato, capsicum, and chilli plant material into Tasmania from South Australia. This applies to Infected Premises (IP) and properties linked to IPs.
On 17 September 2024, New South Wales issued a Control Order preventing the movement of tomatoes, capsicums, and chillies from IPs into NSW. Restrictions apply to properties linked to IPs, while unlinked properties can continue trading. For more details on NSW regulations, visit their website: https://www.nsw.gov.au.
Western Australia and Queensland are working with PIRSA to develop certification protocols to allow trade from non-linked South Australian businesses.
For details on all state movement controls, visit: https://pir.sa.gov.au/tobrfv.
Growers Meeting recording
The video recording of the Growers meeting held at the Virginia Horticulture Centre on 10 October is now available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mt9zD04Qkk
Assistance hub
The hub at Virginia Horticulture Centre, 942 Old Port Wakefield Road, Virginia, is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, to provide support for businesses, workers, and families affected by ToBRFV. Support includes counselling, financial wellbeing, and redeployment assistance.
Visit the hub or call the PIRSA Recovery Hotline on 1800 931 314. Information is available in eight languages: Vietnamese, Dari, Gujarati, Hazaragi, Hindi, Khmer, Nepali, and Punjabi at: https://pir.sa.gov.au/tobrfv
Accreditation of a South Australian laboratory
PIRSA is working to establish an accredited testing laboratory at the Waite campus of the University of Adelaide. Once open, the lab is expected to process up to 120 samples per day.
Seed tracing investigations
Two seed lines brought into Australia in May 2024 have been identified with ToBRFV. These seeds, linked to two IPs, passed offshore testing. The Australian Government is investigating.
Snapshot of the latest information
- Only three businesses on the Northern Adelaide Plains are confirmed with ToBRFV.
- Fourteen businesses have been advised that ToBRFV is not detected.
- More than 3,600 plant samples have been collected from 27 properties. Over 3,000 results have been returned.
- PIRSA is progressing towards accrediting an SA laboratory for in-house testing.
Common questions answered When can I start trading interstate again?
Tasmania and NSW have restrictions on properties linked to IPs, while unlinked properties can trade as normal. WA and QLD have restricted all tomatoes from South Australia. PIRSA is working on protocols to resume trade. Updates will follow.
Will my tomatoes need to be sampled before trading?
If PIRSA hasn’t contacted you about your property being identified as a suspect or trace premise, no sampling is required for selling tomatoes. In future, interstate trade may require sampling, depending on where you sell.
Where to find information and support
For more information on the response, including fact sheets and resources, visit: https://pir.sa.gov.au/tobrfv.
Contact
For support, call the PIRSA Recovery Hotline on 1800 931 314 or email: PIRSA.Recovery@sa.gov.au.
