From 1 January 2020, the Emergency Plant Pest Response (EPPR) component of the citrus levy and charge, currently set at nil, will increase to $1.05 per tonne or 2.1 cents per 20 kg box. This will take effect in your quarterly return, due 28 April 2020. For people submitting annual returns, any citrus used by the producer in the production of other goods, sold by a producer or that is exported from 1 January will attract the new levy or charge.
Activation of the EPPR levy will repay industry’s share of costs to the citrus canker eradication response in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Changes to the levy rates are shown in the table below:
| Citrus | Rate up to 31 December 2019 |
Rate commencing 1 January 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Oranges in bulk | $4.25 per tonne | $5.30 per tonne |
| Oranges not in bulk | 8.5 cents per box | 10.6 cents per box |
| Other citrus in bulk | $3.50 per tonne | $4.55 per tonne |
| Other citrus not in bulk | 7 cents per box | 9.1 cents per box |
Note: Sold in bulk means citrus transported or to be transported in a container where the mass of citrus in the container exceeds 30 kilograms.
A box means a container of a kind that is used in the Australian horticultural industry for packing citrus and ordinarily known in that industry as a bushel box or 30 litre box. A box of grapefruit is 16.67 kilograms and a box for all other citrus is 20 kilograms if they are not packed in a bushel box or 30 litre box. GST does not apply to Australian Government levies.
Information about the citrus levy and charge
You can access information on the department's website about the citrus levy and charge.
Who can I contact if I have questions about this notice?
If you have any questions about this notice, your levies account or how to lodge your return, please contact the Levies Helpdesk by calling 1800 020 619 or by sending an email to: levies.management@aff.gov.au