Joint media release: SA's first state of the art $50m biosecurity treatment facility to boost state's horticultural exports

20 October 2023

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt
South Australian Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, the Hon Clare Scriven MLC
South Australian Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon Nick Champion MP

The Australian and South Australian Governments, along with the South Australian Produce Market, have today announced the development of a $50 million biosecurity facility, based in Pooraka, in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.

A state first for South Australia, the post-harvest treatment facility will provide inspection, quarantine and treatment of fruit and vegetable produce which is vital for exporting SA’s produce globally.

The facility will use pressure cooling and treatment technology and will be the largest-scale multi-treatment and inspection facility in South Australia.

Once completed the project will unlock an additional $119M in fresh produce exports over a 5-year period creating 172 direct and indirect on-going jobs and assist in cost reduction for the state’s primary producers.

Currently South Australian producers are required to send their produce to Victoria or Queensland for treatment. This new facility is set to reduce those transport costs and improve profitability for SA producers, which in turn will lower product wastage and help reduce the cost of produce at the supermarket.

The project will establish a post-harvest treatment service with pressure cooling and treatment technology, both of which are required to enable export of South Australian produce to more overseas destinations.

SA growers have previously faced challenges in selling to certain markets in times of fruit fly outbreaks. In 2020 and 2021 SA had a Med Fly outbreak in metropolitan Adelaide and is currently experiencing a prolonged Q-Fly outbreak in parts of the Riverland.

Built on the site of the SA Produce Market at Burma Road, Pooraka, the facility will play a vital role in protecting and expanding the state’s growing $1.4 billion horticultural industry.

There are restrictions within Australia and export countries on what produce is allowed to enter each state or country based on what pests and diseases are prevalent in the region where the fruit is grown.

With the current Q-fly outbreak in the Riverland, produce cannot be sent from the Riverland to other parts of South Australia, Tasmania, or WA where Q-fly does not have a presence, unless it is treated.

The new biosecurity precinct will ensure produce coming from the fruit fly impacted areas within the State are able to be inspected, quarantined, and treated if required before produce is distributed overseas and to retailers across SA, WA, and NT.

With construction commencing in February 2024, this new biosecurity precinct will provide for a more sustainable alternative and has the ability to increase shelf life of fresh produce for export purposes.

The facility will also support and grow key industries identified by the State Government such as health and medical.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Agriculture and Fishers, Murray Watt

We are committed to protecting our way of life and growing our agriculture sector.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to tackling fruit fly, so the funding provided under the Australian Government’s Building Resilience to Manage Fruit Fly package will be aimed at several different methods of controlling this pest, including through post-harvest treatment.

These projects will contribute to driving down fruit fly pest pressure, reducing fruit fly incursions into South Australia and building industry resilience to manage this pest.

The package will give us a huge boost towards our goal of completely eradicating our current outbreaks and retaining South Australia’s fruit fly free status, as well as reducing the impacts of fruit fly nationally.

In addition to this post harvest treatment facility, the package is also providing funding to South Australia to build new and expand existing sterile insect technique facilities, update interstate trade protocols, roll out electronic plant health certification and put in additional roadblocks to protect the Riverland pest-free area.

Quotes attributable to South Australian Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Clare Scriven MLC:

This funding will put South Australia on the front foot in protecting and expanding our $1.4 billion horticulture industry.

South Australia has faced challenges with fruit fly outbreaks in recent years and this biosecurity precinct will allow us to inspect, quarantine, and treat produce from affected areas, safeguarding our industry and ensuring a stable supply chain.

Producers in South Australia will no longer need to send their fresh produce interstate to be treated prior to being sold which means less costs for local producers.

Having this technology here also opens the door to other potential and exciting benefits to the State from sectors such as health and medical, space and defence.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Trade and Investment, Nick Champion MP:

This facility, the first of its kind in the nation, will ensure South Australia’s premium, clean, and green produce – the envy of the world – is protected.

The importance of safeguarding our environment for agribusiness and exports cannot be understated and will only bolster our international reputation as we are able to get produce to market faster.

Quotes attributable to South Australian Produce Market CEO, Angelo Demasi:

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the State and Federal government for their support in the creation of this biosecurity precinct, an investment that will greatly benefit South Australian producers, consumers, and our local economy.

SA Produce Market is excited to host this world leading precinct which will enable our industry to access state-of-the-art post-harvest treatment services, enabling us to deliver quality local produce even more efficiently and sustainably to our South Australian customers.

In addition, this project also represents a significant step towards making our produce even more attractive to our existing global customers.

Through the introduction of this game changing biosecurity precinct, South Australia will soon become an attractive destination for global produce companies looking to establish a presence in the Asia-Pacific region, strengthening our industry’s position in the global market, creating even more jobs, and making additional contributions to our state’s economy.