This Saturday’s Karragullen expo at Karragullen oval will give attendees first-hand information on how to improve control of the destructive Mediterranean fruit fly in the lead up to the fruit season.
The industry was calling on private property owners to tend to their fruit trees in order to stem fruit fly populations, which in the past have caused millions of dollars of damage to harvests.
A fruit fly information distribution stall will be placed on the right hand side of Old Station Road just after the entrance next to the stall with fruit tree sales.
Isabel Arevalo-Vigne and Rachel Davison will volunteer their time to man the display.
They will answer questions and provide information sheets and from there visitors could also collect free homemade and economical recipes to prepare solutions for fruit fly traps.
Ms Arevalo-Vigne said fruit fly control did not have to be expensive or overly time consuming as many residential property owners currently believed.
“As little as 15 minutes per week spent picking up fallen fruit with correct disposal, baiting and refilling contained lure-and-kill traps with cheap, household products is a simple yet effective start,” she said.
“Participation of the whole community is sought as fruit fly needs to be controlled by as many people as possible in order to reduce fly populations in the Perth Hills area.”
Ms Davison said everyone loved the beautiful orchards within the Perth Hills.
“We should assist the local producers to remain in business producing fresh, local and healthy food supplies,” she said.
This year’s Karragullen expo was themed from tree to table and would give attendees access to all local aspects on fruit production from growing, packing, transport, storage and value adding.
For more information visit karragullenexpo.org.au.
