THE state government says Qfly has been eradicated in WA while also thanking Swan Valley growers and the Bayswater community for their support during the quarantine process.

In November last year Echo News reported the discovery of one Qfly in Nollamara on September 12 had extended the quarantine area notice to December 5 pending no further detections.

One of the biggest threats to WA’s horticultural industries and backyard fruit trees, the destructive pest was found in Bayswater in February last year – this is the ninth time in 35 years Qfly has been eradicated in the metropolitan area.

This week Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said eradicating this outbreak of Qfly and achieving area freedom for Western Australia is a tremendous achievement that demonstrates why detecting pest and disease threats as early as possible was the best form of defence.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) eradication campaign included regular visits to more than 5500 properties in the area and testing of about 3000 collected fruit samples.

DPIRD also worked closely with horticulture growers in the nearby Swan Valley to help get produce to market, while maintaining strict biosecurity protocols.

At one stage DPIRD developed tags containing advice for home gardeners on how to manage their fruit trees to help prevent the spread of the pest land fruit fly to be attached to citrus, stone and pome fruit trees prior to sale.

Ms Jarvis said the quarantine area notice had now been lifted and people were no longer subject to movement controls on fruit and vegetables out of the area that were required to prevent the pest from spreading.