2018-39 - Horticulture Exports Program – Additional measures for the importation of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) hosts into New Zealand

​​29 August 2018

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that New Zealand has revised the import conditions of Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV) host commodities.

Summary of changes and key points

• The New Zealand National Plant Protection Organisation, The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has advised that effective of 22 August 2018, fresh cucurbit produce from Australia can be imported after meeting the following additional conditions:
  1. fresh watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) fruit must be sourced from an area free from CGMMV; and
  2. fresh honeydew melon/rockmelon (Cucumis melo), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), scallopini (Cucurbita pepo) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) must be produced in a pest free place of production for CGMMV.
• The Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) has been updated to reflect the changed conditions.
• To trade under the new measures, all growers interested in exporting fresh cucurbit produce to New Zealand - including watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), honeydew melon/rockmelon (Cucumis melo), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), scallopini (Cucurbita pepo) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) - must register their properties with the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
• Growers/properties interested in exporting CGMMV host commodities to New Zealand must apply for registration using the attached form and submit the form to the department’s Horticulture Exports Program.
• The approval for export to New Zealand is subject to an assessment against Area Freedom certification issued by the state and territory departments confirming the area’s freedom from CGMMV.
• Exporters sourcing produce from growers and suppliers to export to New Zealand will need to ensure that the property of production is registered with the department and approved for export.
• This is an additional measure and all other requirements in the Australia-New Zealand Bilateral Quarantine Arrangement and on Micor must be adhered to.
• The information in this IAN supersedes IAN 2018-38 released on 16 August 2018.

Contact information

If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email the Horticulture Exports Program.

Mr David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch