Update on tomato brown rugose fruit virus response

• Statement from the South Australian Government on the quarantining of greenhouses, and ongoing response.
• An assistance hub has been established in South Australia to assist businesses and workers impacted by the virus outbreak.
• An Emergency Biosecurity Direction from Biosecurity Tasmania preventing the movement of ToBRFV host plants or materials into the state from areas known to be infected with the virus.
• An updated Movement Control Order from the Queensland Government.
• The National Management Group (NMG) comprising representatives from state jurisdictions, the Commonwealth and Affected plant industry parties met yesterday (30/09) to consider the ongoing national response.

 

Previous update from 24 September

AUSVEG is continuing to strongly emphasise the need for timely communication of testing and tracing results and information from government to growers, as the national response to the detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in South Australia in August remains underway.

ToBRFV is a significant concern for tomato, capsicum and chilli growers and is continuing to cause substantial impacts, particularly on directly affected businesses, as well as those impacted by jurisdictional movement restrictions.

As part of the national response, AUSVEG has continued to support an approach that mitigates the risk of spread to other farms, while facilitating the movement and supply of produce to market via evidence-based, risk-managed pathways.

AUSVEG remains engaged with relevant biosecurity agencies, government and industry stakeholders to ensure the views of the national industry are considered as part of the national response.

We will continue to provide updates as they are made available by relevant government agencies.

Jurisdictional responses
The latest published information relating to the South Australian response to the detection of ToBRFV at three businesses on the Northern Adelaide Plains is available on the state’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions website.

Precautionary measures remain in place in other jurisdictions including: a Queensland  Movement Control Order suspending entry into the state of potential ToBRFV carriers from South Australia; the application of import requirements for potential carriers of ToBRFV entering Western Australia from South Australia; and a New South Wales Control Order preventing the movement of risk items, including tomatoes, capsicums and chillies from affected and linked, properties in South Australia. (Note: since the last update, Biosecurity Tasmania has introduced an Emergency Biosecurity Direction preventing the movement of ToBRFV host plants or materials into the state from areas known to be infected with the virus.)

Temporary suspensions of Australian tomato imports into New Zealand, and imports of Australian tomatoes, capsicums and chillis, into New Caledonia remain in place.

National response
The Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD) is a Government-industry partnership, outlining the national governance and investment in responding to and eradicating emergency plant pests (EPP). Under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD) there are formal roles for both Government and affected industry parties, relating to the national response to ToBRFV – and any other incursions of EPP.

Role of Government: State and Territory Governments are responsible for biosecurity responses within their jurisdictions, including tracing, testing and notification activities, as well as biosecurity orders including quarantine, movement and relevant border arrangements.  The Federal Government is responsible for Australia’s international borders, ongoing trade discussions and coordination of the national response.

Role of Industry: Under the EPPRD, affected levy-paying industry parties are represented as part of the national response to incursions of exotic priority plant pests or diseases.

As the vegetable industry representative on the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed (EPPRD), AUSVEG represents levy-paying industries on the EPPRD during biosecurity responses affecting the industry, to ensure grower perspectives are heard. While the tomato industry does not directly contribute to biosecurity levies, as the vegetable industry representative body, AUSVEG continues to support fresh market tomato growers during the ToBRFV response. The Australian Processing Tomato Research Council and Greenlife Industry Australia are the other industry representatives involved in the national response under EPPRD arrangements.

AUSVEG is continuing to provide updates as they become available, and continues to emphasise the need for release of timely information to growers and industry, as well as proportionate, evidence-based biosecurity responses.

About ToBRFV
ToBRFV affects tomatoes, capsicum, and chilli, but there is no known impact on human health.

ToBRFV-infected plants show symptoms such as mosaic patterns, yellowing and deformities on leaves, while fruits develop brown wrinkled spots, deformations and uneven ripening, reducing their yield and marketability. Different plant varieties can present different symptoms.

AUSVEG has prepared this downloadable fact sheet on ToBRFV, with further information about the disease and best practice biosecurity.

For further information, please contact AUSVEG National Manager – Biosecurity and Extension, Zarmeen Hassan, zarmeen.hassan@ausveg.com.au

We continue to encourage all growers to remain vigilant and ensure all staff and visitors comply with on-site biosecurity practices, to protect their businesses from potential risks.

Biosecurity advice to growers: