7 August 2020
Purpose
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 table grapes to protocol markets for the 2020–21 season.
Summary of changes and key points
Farms and packhouses
- Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses to export table grapes to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for the 2020–21 season.
- Table grape farm and packhouse managers wanting to export to protocol markets can complete their application forms through the table grape export registration system. Applications must be completed by 5pm AEST, Friday, 28 August 2020. Late submissions will not be accepted.
- 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.
- Crop monitor training and assessment for table grapes is now available through the Tocal College online eLearning hub.
- Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment prior to confirming accreditation.
Treatment facilities
- Applications are now open for the registration of treatment facilities for
- combination treatment (fumigation plus cold treatment) of table grapes for export to China
- onshore cold treatment of table grapes to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
- 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, Friday 28 August 2020.
Specific market requirements
Export pathways for table grapes to protocol markets are:
- China – accreditation of all farms and packhouses; cold treatment; and combination treatment (fumigation plus cold treatment).
- Taiwan – accreditation of packhouses*; and cold treatment.
- Japan – cold treatment.
- Korea – accreditation of all farms and packhouses*; area freedom; and cold treatment.
- Thailand – accreditation of all farms and packhouses*; and cold treatment.
- Vietnam – 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.
* Packhouse accreditation is not required if the product is packed in-field for Korea, Taiwan or Thailand protocol markets.
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce. Some farms, packhouses and treatment facilities intending to export table grapes to markets such as China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam may be required to be accredited/approved by the department, prior to export depending on export pathway.
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 an 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 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, 28 August 2020.
- The eLearning course content will remain accessible through to March 2021.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the table grapes export registration system, please email Jscott@atga.net.au.
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email Horticulture Exports Program.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch