20 October 2017
Purpose
The purpose of this Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise mainland Australian apple and pear entities that applications for exports to Thailand for the 2018 season have opened.
Summary of changes and key points
- Export applications from mainland Australian apple or pear orchards and packhouses must be completed and submitted by 25 November 2017 using the online application system. Late applications will not be accepted.
- Previous 2017 season users will receive an email and SMS from Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) advising that registration has commenced. Growers and packhouses that have not used this system but wish to do so should contact Angus Crawford by email or phone (03) 9329 3511 to obtain an AP registration number to access the online registration system.
- An orchard or packhouse will be export-approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources once all requirements have been audited and verified in accordance with the protocol.
- Packhouses must provide a Standard Operating Procedure as part of their application which includes processes relating to:
- grading, handling and packing of fruit
- hygiene programs
- dealing with pests of quarantine concern
- a documented system to allow traceability of fruit back to the registered orchard/block.
Full details on requirements are detailed in the document: Workplan Australian apple and pear exports to Thailand.
- Please refer to the relevant apple and pear protocols and work plans on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR) website for full information on export requirements.
- To access these documents, you must be a registered MICoR Plant user. To register, go to the registration webpage. Complete all fields, and then click ‘Submit’. The MICoR Plant team will process your registration request. This can take up to five working days. You will be provided with your login details by email.
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce. The protocols for apples and pears to Thailand mandate that certain entities need to be registered with the department prior to the commencement of the season.
Mainland apple and pear growers and packhouses that wish to export to Thailand for the 2018 export season must ensure that their respective export applications are submitted by 25 November 2017.
Packhouses are required to provide a Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) as part of their registration for a desk audit prior to export approval. This will be the first year that the department is conducting a desk audit of packhouses based on their SOP. SOP’s are to be uploaded to the on-line system once registration has been completed.
Export applications for Tasmanian apple growers to export to China, Taiwan, Japan and Thailand in 2018 were completed in September and the registration period is now closed.
Industry responsibilities
Export applications from growers and packhouses must be submitted via the online application system by 25 November 2017. Late applications will not be accepted.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email Horticulture Exports Program ACT.
If you have any questions regarding the online application system please email.
Mr Russell Cant
Acting Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch