19 June 2020
Purpose
The purpose of this Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses, and the registration of treatment facilities, to export summerfruits to protocol markets for the 2020–21 season.
Summary of changes and key points
Farms and packhouses
- Applications are now open for farms and packhouses intending to export summerfruit to China, Taiwan and Thailand for the 2020–21 season.
- Summerfruit farm and packhouse managers wanting to export to China, Taiwan and Thailand can complete their application forms through the Summerfruit Australia export registration system by 5pm AEST, Monday 13 July 2020.
- All information in the application (for example, ABN numbers, contact details, accredited property maps and addresses) must be complete and correct or the application may not be accepted.
- Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
- Crop monitor training and assessment for summerfruit is now available through the online eLearning hub.
Treatment facilities
- Applications are now open for the registration of treatment facilities for
- methyl bromide fumigation of summerfruit for export to China
- combination treatment (fumigation plus cold treatment) of summerfruit for export to China
- onshore cold treatment of summerfruits to China, Taiwan and Thailand.
- Treatment facilities previously registered for this export pathway do not need to reapply.
- Treatment facility applicants can submit their completed application form to the department’s Audit and Assurance Group by 5pm AEST, Monday 13 July 2020.
Specific market requirements
Export pathways for summerfruit protocol markets are:
- China – accreditation of all farms and packhouses; area freedom, cold treatment, fumigation and combination treatment (fumigation plus cold treatment).
- Taiwan – accreditation of packhouses; area freedom and cold treatment.
- Thailand – accreditation of all farms and packhouses; area freedom and cold treatment.
Further details on specific market requirements (including area freedom) are available in the relevant work plans and protocols in the ‘Documents’ section of the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor). To access these documents, you must be a registered Micor Plant user.
To register for Micor, go to the registration webpage, complete all fields and then click ‘Submit’. You will be provided with your login details by email.
Background
Countries with protocols markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce. Farms, packhouses and treatment facilities intending to export summerfruit to China, Taiwan and Thailand must be accredited/approved by the department, prior to export.
Accredited property responsibilities – farms and packhouses
- Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually (unless otherwise advised).
- Farms may divide their orchard into blocks. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the farm map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates.
- Applicants must be available for audits by the department, to ensure compliance with the relevant work plans and protocols. Some entities may be audited by the importing country authority.
- The department can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
- Requirements for accredited properties including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- Existing accredited properties will be subject to an audit pre-or mid-season.
- All new applicants must be available for pre-accreditation audits by the department to ensure compliance with the protocol and departmental requirements.
Treatment facility responsibilities
- Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity and treatment combination for protocol markets.
Note: Treatment facilities previously approved by the department as an accredited property are now approved under their registered establishment (refer to IAN 2019-64 for further information on this). Treatment facilities that are currently approved for treatment functions under their registered establishment do not need to re-apply unless they would like to vary their approval by adding or removing a treatment function (country, commodity, treatment combination).
- Treatment facilities that are currently not approved for the countries, commodities and treatments they would like must submit a Reference: Application for registration as a horticulture export treatment facility and be audited and approved by the department and the importing country, where required (for onshore cold treatment approval is required from Taiwan and Thailand).
Crop monitor training
- Only crop monitors who have completed the annual online training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.
- The online crop monitor training is now open via the Tocal College online eLearning hub.
- The assessment quiz closes on Friday, 17 July 2020.
- The eLearning course content will remain accessible through to March 2021.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the summerfruit export registration system, please email Summerfruit Australia.
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email Horticulture Exports Program.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch