Sustainable Fumigation Practises

Abstract

The Australian rice industry must continue to meet customers' quality expectations, both domestically and internationally. These are controlled largely by Integrated Pest Management and Food Safety. Due to the phase-out of methyl bromide for all but pre-shipment and quarantine use it has been necessary to develop alternative fumigants for the disinfestation of durable food commodities. The phase out of Methyl Bromide has impacted the world heavily. The rice industry has been impacted heavily by drought, resulting in a reduced crop which makes each grain of extreme value to the business. Fumigation is highly necessary to ensure SunRice is delivering high quality products to our customers, and as a result relies heavily on successful fumigation. It is crucial that a replacement disinfestation method is found that offers equal or improved effectiveness in controlling pest infestation. The trials undertaken are both extensions on past trials that have given us confidence in their initial studies and new methods that give us hope that we may be able to reduce or replace the use of Methyl Bromide with another method of fumigation.

The Australian rice industry must continue to meet customers' quality expectations, both domestically and internationally. These are controlled largely by Integrated Pest Management and Food Safety. Due to the phase-out of methyl bromide for all but pre-shipment and quarantine use it has been necessary to develop alternative fumigants for the disinfestation of durable food commodities. The phase out of Methyl Bromide has impacted the world heavily. The rice industry has been impacted heavily by drought, resulting in a reduced crop which makes each grain of extreme value to the business. Fumigation is highly necessary to ensure SunRice is delivering high quality products to our customers, and as a result relies heavily on successful fumigation. It is crucial that a replacement disinfestation method is found that offers equal or improved effectiveness in controlling pest infestation. The trials undertaken are both extensions on past trials that have given us confidence in their initial studies and new methods that give us hope that we may be able to reduce or replace the use of Methyl Bromide with another method of fumigation.