Peter and Oriana Petsios, owners of the SA Tomato business, are facing a potential $100,000 fine due to delays in virus testing, despite their best efforts to comply with strict quarantine regulations.
According to The Advertiser, their business was already shut down in August after tomato brown rugose fruit virus was found in a client’s greenhouse, leading to the destruction of $1.3 million worth of plants.
In November, after receiving national approval to resume operations, the Petsios family set out to deliver 106,000 seedlings to a Victorian client, Katunga Fresh.
However, despite repeated communication with the SA Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), only one of the required virus test results had been returned by the time the truck arrived on December 16.
Mr Petsios had reminded PIRSA of the impending deadline but received no warning about potential issues with the testing. When the truck departed without official approval, a PIRSA official called to say the departure was not approved because of the pending test results.
Mr Petsios expressed deep frustration, fearing that if the shipment was delayed, Katunga Fresh could sue him for breaching the contract.
“This is probably as low a point that we’ve ever felt,” Mr Petsios told The Advertiser.
He now faces the possibility of a fine for breaching quarantine restrictions, despite following all protocols to the letter.
PIRSA has since acknowledged the breach but stated that the plants did not contain the virus, with the final test results arriving on December 18.
Opposition spokeswoman Nicola Centofanti criticised the government for inadequate support to growers, highlighting the delays in testing as a major issue for the industry.
Source: The Advertiser
