The tiny insect threatening billion-dollar wine industry in NSW

A tiny insect could wreak havoc in New South Wales wine regions, so the state government is bolstering its defences.

Phylloxera is a small, aphid-like insect that destroys vines and is regarded as the world's worst vineyard pest.

Agriculture minister Dugald Saunders said an infestation of the pest would be devastating not only for wine production but the 53,000 people who work in the industry.

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An outbreak could also cause hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to the $23.1 billion NSW agriculture industry.

NSW wine regions produce 490 million bottles of wine every year.

"A single outbreak of phylloxera in NSW's prime agricultural sector could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and put at risk some of the oldest vineyards and wines in Australia," NSW Wine Industry President Mark Bourne said.

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The pest usually spreads by immature insects known as crawlers latching onto people via their clothing, footwear, cars or equipment.

The signs of an outbreak include the yellowing and stunted growth of individual grapevines.

In a bid to protect the state's favourite wines, the government is installing 65 new biosecurity signs across 16 wine-growing regions.

"NSW produces some of the finest wine in the world, so it is no surprise we have seen a sharp increase in visitors to vineyards in wine-growing regions like Mudgee, Orange, Tumbarumba, Murrubateman, Griffith and the Hunter Valley," Saunders said.

"With these visitors come the inevitable threat of a biosecurity pest incursion like phylloxera that can spread easily and destroy vines quickly."

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Saunders said it is critical to warn visitors and tourists to the state's wine regions about taking precautions against spreading the insects.

"These new signs will not only make visitors aware of the threat phylloxera poses to our wine industry, it will also alert them to the biosecurity measures vineyards have in place to minimise the threat of an incursion like washing shoes and prohibiting entry onto certain parts of their properties," Saunders said.

Some precautions include washing shoes or staying away from certain parts of vineyards.

"The Hunter Valley is a good example of an area where there aren't fences. So it's about people not doing the wrong thing, not literally going for a stroll through somebody's vineyard when they don't have permission," Saunders said.