NSW’s TPP defence has a weak link – peak body warns
Australia’s fresh fruit and vegetable industry is urging stronger support from government and industry partners as the Tomato Potato Psyllid (TPP) threat increasingly challenges supply chain stability.
Freshmark — a key representative body for fresh produce wholesalers and part of the national advocacy group Fresh Markets Australia — has publicly stressed that meeting phytosanitary obligations alone isn’t enough to safeguard growers and the broader supply system. They argue that TPP has already moved beyond the farm gate and is now affecting distribution networks and market access, underlining the need for coordinated action across the whole fresh produce supply chain.
Why This Matters
The spread of Tomato Potato Psyllid threatens trade and domestic market access for Australian produce by triggering quarantine responses and interstate movement restrictions — which can slow down or block sales from key growing regions to major markets. Australia’s fresh produce industry has a very tight logistics window: fresh fruit and vegetables cannot be stockpiled and must be harvested, distributed, and consumed quickly to maintain quality and prevent waste.
TPP isn’t just a plant health issue — it’s a supply chain shock. Delays or restrictions in moving produce can drastically reduce growers’ returns, erode margins, and increase costs in an already thin-margin sector.
Freshmark’s Strategic Ask
Freshmark is calling for greater supply chain support from both policymakers and industry partners, including:
Enhanced biosecurity and reciprocal trade protocols that are resilient to pests like TPP without unnecessarily restricting market access.
Recognition of fresh produce supply systems as critical national infrastructure, ensuring they receive the strategic support they need to keep food flowing throughout the country.
Clear, consistent regulatory frameworks that help growers, wholesalers, transporters, and independent retailers operate on a level playing field.
The Bigger Picture: Supply Chain Resilience
Freshmark’s call reflects larger concerns in the industry about structural challenges in the fresh produce supply chain:
Many wholesalers and independent operators feel disadvantaged by current supply-chain codes and market power imbalances. Codes of conduct that apply differently to wholesalers versus supermarkets can leave smaller players with less protection and fewer reporting requirements.
Advocacy groups have also pushed for simplification of compliance and better market transparency, which could help producers and intermediaries anticipate demand, reduce waste, and strengthen competition.
Strengthening Australia’s fresh produce supply chain isn’t just about protecting growers — it’s about making sure fresh fruit and vegetables remain affordable and available to Australian consumers, even when the sector is tested by biosecurity risks and global trade pressures.
