FRUIT and vegetables can once again feature in lunchboxes of most students returning to school, following the easing of fruit fly restrictions across the state.
Primary Industries Minister David Basham said most fruit fly restrictions across SA were lifted in December, meaning families could go back to packing a range of fresh fruit and vegetables in lunch boxes for the start of the 2022 school year.
"Our two-year, $68 million program to fight fruit fly has been successful thanks to families and communities supporting the government's response by reporting maggots, complying with fruit movement restrictions, and managing their gardens well," he said.
"We are still fighting an outbreak at Ridleyton in the city and in the Riverland.
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"Families in these areas need to continue packing fruit and vegetables that are not restricted, such as delicious SA rockmelon, other melon or pineapple, snowpeas or cucumber, or alternatively source fruit from the school canteen.
"The fruit fly website includes a hub of recipe ideas to help families prepare fruit and vegetables for safely packing in lunchboxes."
Fruit fly outbreaks have had a significant impact on thousands of local businesses in SA's $1.3-billion horticultural industry over the past couple of years.
"We must all continue playing a part in protecting local jobs and locally grown produce," Mr Basham said.
Restrictions due to Queensland fruit fly continue around the Ridleyton area until February 22, and around Pike River and Renmark West in the Riverland until March 13, as long as there are no further detections.
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