21 June 2021
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 2021–22 season.
Summary key points
Farm and packhouses
- Applications are now open for farms and packhouses intending to export summerfruit to China, Taiwan and Thailand for the 2021–22 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 19 July 2021.
- 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 facilities, that are not already a registered establishment must submit a completed Application to register an establishment and/or approve a proposed arrangement (EX26a) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d) to the Certificate Management Group by 5pm AEST, Monday 19 July 2021.
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 or registered with us 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. A block must be a contiguous unit and not be separated by structures such as a building, public road or body of water.
- Note: For further information, refer to the Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties.
- Applicants must be available for audits, to ensure compliance with the relevant work plans and protocols. Some entities may be audited by the importing country authority.
- We 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.
- Audits may occur pre-season and/or during the season (during harvest). Any farm or packhouse that was not accredited for the 2020–21 season will be audited pre-season.
Treatment facility responsibilities
- Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity and treatment combination for protocol markets.
- Treatment facilities that would like to vary their approval must submit an Application to vary an establishment registration and/or approved arrangement (EX26b) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d) and be audited and approved by us 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 23 July 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