Fruit growers and farmers are calling on the Victorian Government to re-instate a “proven and cost-effective” pest grant program.
Since 2017, the Fruit Fly Grants program by the Victorian Government has enabled regional groups to manage Queensland fruit fly populations across the food bowl of northern Victoria.
From June 2025, the funding provided by the government for the program under the Fruit Fly Strategy 2021-25 will end.
But Cobram and District Fruit Growers’ Association president Adrian Conti said the decision to cease funding could harm the horticultural industry.
“It defies logic that the Victorian Government is terminating funding for this community-based program in June 2025,” Mr Conti said.
“If the fruit fly management funding totally stops, we are likely to face infestation levels migrating into commercial crops from backyard gardens and public lands. A single fruit fly detection in any of our fruit and vegetable exports could devastate the horticultural industry.”
The Queensland fruit fly is an established pest in Victoria.
Under the strategy, the main regional body behind the program is the Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management Project.
The project has brought about a 60 per cent reduction in QFF numbers across the Goulburn Murray Valley region since its inception.
An Agriculture Victorian spokesperson said the government had invested $14.28 million between 2021 and 2025 to provide community and regional grants under the Victorian Fruit Fly Strategy to empower industry and home gardeners to embed fruit fly management in their communities.
“The funding has allowed the program to improve community and landholder’s understanding of how to best manage fruit flies on their property, placing them in a good position to limit the impact of the pest moving forward,” the spokesperson said.