In a huge boost for the State’s Riverland community, the Chinese Government has formally recognised the region as a Pest Free Area for all horticulture commodities from the Riverland.

The announcement comes years after the State Government first held meetings with Chinese officials.

Produce from the Riverland can now be shipped direct to China without a treatment for fruit fly, which will reduce costs and delays for producers and exporters across the supply chain.

Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell has led the charge for South Australia’s producers, meeting with Chinese officials in Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao and Guangzhou to discuss formal recognition of the Riverland’s Pest Free status.

The case was reinforced again in August this year during a meeting with the Australian Government’s primary industry expert in Beijing – the Minister Counsellor Agriculture (North Asia), from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

The Riverland’s formal recognition as a Pest Free Area will provide new expansion opportunities for the region’s horticultural industry, resulting in more jobs for South Australians.

This new market access agreement between the Australian and Chinese governments was reached in Sydney on 9 November 2017.

The Chinese recognition follows on from Indonesian recognition of the Riverland as a Pest Free Area in December 2016 and China’s recognition of the Riverland in May last year for the export of nectarines. Other export markets recognising the Riverland Pest Free Area include the United States, Thailand, Japan and New Zealand.

The South Australian citrus industry is the main benefactor of the Riverland’s pest free status, exporting $102 million worth of citrus in 2015-16, up from $71 million in 2014-15. In 2016-17 South Australian citrus exports to China were valued at $9.1 million.

Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Leon Bignell (pictured right) said the agreement is outstanding news for the Riverland and will be instrumental in opening up further export opportunities for the region.

"This is something we have been working towards for some time and I have met with the Chinese authorities on numerous occasions to discuss extending the protocol applied to nectarines from the Riverland and other summer fruits and stone fruits", he said.

The State Government spends $5 million a year on maintaining and promoting our fruit fly free status. It is not always easy, but it is certainly worth the effort to gain valuable new market access.