Strawberry Industry

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister advise the house on how the state government is supporting the strawberry industry as the season starts in South Australia?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (14:45): Yes, I certainly can. I thank the member for Kavel for his 'berry' important question. What I can tell the house is that the reckless behaviour of some, nationally, contaminating strawberries has brought consumers to high alert and high attention right around the country. Right around the country, we saw tonnes and tonnes and truckloads of strawberries dumped through a sheer fear campaign.

Here in South Australia the local strawberry season is about to kick off. On Saturday morning, I will be at the Central Market to launch the season. Earlier this month, the Premier and I were at the South Australian Produce Markets with a grant of up to $50,000 that was initiated on behalf of the government working with industry and with the South Australian Produce Market to reassure consumers right around the state that we are doing everything we can to make sure that our fresh strawberries are contaminant free.

It is also very important to note that the $50,000 is there to install a metal detector to give certainty to the consumers. That detector is about making sure that the future of the strawberry industry is underpinned by collaboration between the industry and government, making sure that the produce market has the necessary levers to give that certainty to the industry.

The South Australian strawberry industry produces about 6,000 tonnes of strawberries a year. It is worth in the realm of $42 million a year to South Australia's economy. It is really important that both industry and government work together, not only to underpin the security of that part of our economy but to make sure that when people visit supermarkets they have that surety that they are buying safe, fresh produce.

One of the greatest things that South Australian consumers can do is support the local strawberry industry, just like the nation supported the strawberry industry because of the reckless behaviour of some who put needles in strawberries, which was highly controversial. What we are asking consumers to do, to give themselves more surety, is to 'cut 'em up, don't cut 'em out'. It is important that we stand behind the strawberry industry.

While I was at the produce market, I met with longstanding family businesses—second, third and fourth-generation strawberry producers: the Chassiotis family, the Ceravolos and the Parkers, who have been longstanding fresh fruit suppliers to our marketplace. They also supply some of the nation's best produce, particularly cherries, strawberries, apples and pears. They are outstanding citizens within the fresh fruit industry.

As you see South Australian strawberries on the shelves, please buy them and support the industry to make sure that the strawberry industry is supported by consumer demand, because hashtag #RegionsMatter.