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Tomato virus outbreak leads to disruptions
November 2024
Australia’s tomato supply chain is bracing for disruption and potential price hikes, while hundreds of
jobs have already been lost, following the discovery of an exotic plant virus that has plunged three SA
growers into lockdown, the ABC reports.
Prior to the current outbreak in SA, the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) had not been
detected in the country.
The outbreak has already led some states to impose bans on SA tomatoes — prompting predictions
of price rises in those states — and fanned growers’ fears the restrictions could cause more harm
than the virus itself.
The virus was first detected in Australia in August and the Department of Primary Industries and
Regions (PIRSA) said it likely entered the country via infected seeds.
The disease causes yellowing and deformity on the leaves of the host plants, while the crop itself can
form wrinkled spots and show uneven ripening.
Affected tomatoes are safe to eat but the virus is highly transmissible among tomatoes, capsicums
and chillies, authorities say.
In tomatoes, the virus reduces the plant’s marketable yield by up to 75 per cent.
PIRSA’s director of plant and invasive species biosecurity, Nick Secomb, said it was a “very significant
disease on production”.
“If we were to allow this disease to spread, not only will there be trade impacts but this disease is
considered significant nationally for a reason,” he said.
The virus can spread through infected seeds, plants and cuttings, plant-to-plant contact and through
touch transmission.
ToBRFV has been found at three businesses — Perfection Fresh, Gawler River Tomato and SA Tomato
— in the northern Adelaide Plains foodbowl region.
PIRSA has taken more than 2,500 plant samples from 18 businesses for testing and has said it was
following up with four businesses about infected seeds.
Western Australia and Queensland have introduced bans on South Australian tomatoes and New
South Wales is only doing business with properties cleared from the disease.
The SA government has placed three SA businesses into quarantine.
“The decision to quarantine those three facilities are all about seeking to contain the virus with the
view to eradicate it,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said on Wednesday.
PIRSA said no shortages of tomatoes or price rises were expected at this stage.
SA Produce Market managing director, Penny Reidy, said prices would not be impacted “overnight”.
Ms Reidy said impacts could be “double-edged”; consumers in states that have banned SA tomatoes
could end up paying more, while shoppers in SA could end up paying less.
Greek Tribune
Adelaide, South Australia