2 November 2021
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise the citrus industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of citrus orchards or blocks for the 2022 season.
Summary of changes and key points
- Applications are now open for the accreditation of orchards or blocks to export citrus to South Korea, China, Thailand and New Zealand (Queensland only) for the 2022 season.
- Growers wishing to apply to export citrus to all markets other than New Zealand must complete their application forms through the Citrus Australia registration system. Applications must be completed by 5pm AEDT, Friday 17 December 2021.
- Growers in Queensland wishing to apply to export citrus to New Zealand must submit a completed Reference: Application for plant export accreditation of farms directly to Audit Services. The application form can be accessed through the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- If your orchard or block was accredited by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for exports to South Korea, China or Thailand in 2021, your details are already in the Citrus Australia online system and you will receive an email from Citrus Australia. If you have not already received an email, please contact Citrus Australia.
- If your orchard or block was not accredited in 2021 and you wish to export in 2022 to the protocol markets listed above, please contact Citrus Australia.
- All nominated orchards or blocks must be surveyed by a registered crop monitor between 1 and 28 February 2022. Contact Citrus Australia for further information on registered crop monitors.
- Packhouses must ensure the crop monitor report and an orchard map are uploaded into the Citrus Australia online system and sign an electronic declaration that orchards have met quarantine requirements by 5pm AEDT, Friday 4 March 2022.
Specific market accreditation requirements
Growers exporting to the following markets must apply for accreditation:
- South Korea (all states; oranges and lemons only)
- China (all states)
- Thailand (all states)
- New Zealand (Queensland only; no accreditation requirement for other states)
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce.
Growers intending to export citrus to certain markets must be accredited with us prior to export.
For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant workplan and protocol on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) Plants website. To access these documents, you must register as a Micor Plants user.
Grower responsibilities
- Growers must apply for accreditation annually.
- Growers must ensure that the supplied maps are electronic and accurately reflect the block listed on the application form, and include at minimum
- the orchard’s set boundaries including surrounding areas and major infrastructure (for example, packhouse, dam, dwellings)
- borders of each farm block within the orchard
- all individual blocks, major roads and packhouse if applicable labelled and identified on the map
- Refer to the Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties for further information
- Applicants must be available for audits by the department, to ensure compliance with the relevant work plans and protocols. Some entities may also be audited by the importing country authority.
- Departmental audits may occur pre-season and/or during the season.
- Requirements for accredited properties, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- We can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
- If your farm or block was accredited in 2021, your details are already in the system. If you wish to change any details, do not delete your existing details. Please contact Citrus Australia to make amendments to existing details. Deleting properties may result in new accredited property numbers being assigned, which may impact access to protocol markets.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding applying for accreditation, please email Citrus Australia.
If you have questions regarding this IAN, please email the Horticulture Exports Program.
Rossana Carr
A/g Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch