13 July 2020
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses to export Hass avocado to Japan for the 2020 season.
Summary of changes and key points
- Applications are now open for farms and packhouses intending to export Hass Avocados to Japan for the 2020 season.
- Farm and packhouse managers wanting to export to Japan must download the application form and submit the completed application to Avocados Australia by 5pm AEST, Monday 3 August 2020. Late submissions will not be accepted.
- Application for plant export accreditation of farms
- Application for plant export accreditation of packhouses
- 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.
- Avocados Australia will forward accreditation applications to the department’s Audit and Assurance Group.
- Crop monitors must complete the generic crop monitor course online through the Tocal College online eLearning hub by 10 August 2020 to be eligible to conduct crop monitoring for avocados to Japan.
- Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment prior to confirming accreditation.
- Accredited farms and packhouses may be subject to verification visits by the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
Specific market requirements
- Only fresh avocado (Persea americana) fruit of the Hass cultivar are permitted to be exported to Japan.
- MAFF protocol conditions apply to fresh Hass avocado sourced from officially recognised areas free from Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) in Western Australia and Riverland (South Australia).
- Japan recognises Tasmania to be free from both Qfly and Mediterranean fruit fly, therefore exports of fresh Hass avocado sourced from Tasmania are not subject to the protocol requirements.
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 and packhouses intending to export Hass avocado to Japan must be accredited by the department, prior to export.
Accredited property responsibilities – Farms and packhouse
- 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.
- 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.
- Applicants must be available on site during the audit and have the following records available, where applicable:
List of required records
Farm
Good agriculture practices (GAPs) that include the following:
- traceability system
- hygiene
- management program for pests and disease
Packhouse
Standard operation procedures (SOP) that include all processes related to:
- security of product within 24 hours of harvest
- receival and load out of avocado fruit
- grading, processing and storage
- product traceability and segregation
- cleaning and hygiene systems
Crop monitor training
Only individuals who have completed the online crop monitor training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.
- Online generic crop monitor training is now open via Tocal College online eLearning hub.
- Crop monitors require to complete the assessment by 10 August 2020.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the avocado export registration system, please email Avocados Australia.
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email Horticulture Exports Program.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch