South Australian tomato grower Peter Petsios is calling for an inquiry and threatening legal action after the federal government abandoned efforts to eradicate the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a decision he says came too late to save his business.
Petsios, owner of SA Tomato, said the now-defunct eradication policy cost him $4 million, his health, and his 65-year-old family business, which has been shut for months.
“This is the worst thing that’s happened to me – it’s like a death in the family,” he said.
The virus was detected in South Australia in July 2023, leading to widespread quarantine measures and severe industry disruption.
Petsios said he and other growers had advocated early on for a virus management strategy, in line with international approaches, rather than eradication.
“This should have been a one-week issue,” he said. “Common sense has finally prevailed… We want answers now.”
The federal biosecurity committee’s change in strategy followed the discovery of infected seedlings in Victoria that originated from a nursery in New South Wales — a state previously unlinked to the virus.
Petsios described the emotional and physical toll as immense, citing persistent health issues caused by stress. “I could have had a heart attack. I could have been dead,” he said.
Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven said SA Tomato had received some compensation and was eligible for further reimbursement.
However, opposition MP Nicola Centofanti criticised the government’s “reactive” response, saying early transparency and consistent national policy could have prevented significant losses.
Petsios now intends to pursue legal action to recover damages, stating, “I’m gonna have to work right around the clock for the rest of my life to pay this debt off.”
Source: The Advertiser.
