SOUTH Australian citrus industry threats including fruit fly and gall wasp will continue to be targeted heavily through local programs, after Citrus SA received $130,000 in funds from the Citrus Growers Fund for 2019-20.
Sunlands citrus grower Mark Doecke - the chair of the new Citrus SA organisation, which has transformed from the Citrus Australia SA Region committee - said the body would use the funds for a variety of industry research programs and forums.
"Our major focus is on fruit fly," he said.
"We partly fund a Riverland fruit fly coordinator position to investigate fruit fly and how they get into SA.
"That person is on the ground in the region, conducting research and visiting growers.
"We're also in the middle of a gall wasp project that we have co-funded.
"Then there's the day-to-day issues and consultation that arises, as well as the grower days and regional forums that we host."
Minister for Primary Industries Tim Whetstone said the proposal put forward for the funds from Citrus SA represented the best value for fund contributors' money.
He highlighted Citrus SA's commitment to maintaining the Riverland fruit fly coordinator position, Mypolonga trapping grid and the SA gall wasp program.
"As the only state to be fruit fly-free, the SA citrus industry is committed to eradicating this pest," Mr Whetstone said.
"It is vital that decisions about the use of the SA Citrus Growers Fund is being done at the grassroots level by local citrus producers and industry stakeholders."
Mr Whetstone welcomed the establishment of Citrus SA, saying the citrus industry had become like all other industries in SA in that a local farmer body would be responsible for advising on industry priorities and delivering projects using fund contributions.
