2023-23: Horticulture – Applications for the export of mangoes and lychees to protocol markets

26 May 2023

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses, as is registration of treatment facilities, to export mangoes and lychees to protocol markets for the 2023-24 season.

Summary of changes and key points

Farms and packhouses

  • Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses to export lychees to the USA and to export mangoes to the USA, China, and South Korea, for the 2023-24 season.

Note: For export to Japan, farms and packhouses are not required to be accredited as the protocol only requires treatment facilities and post-treatment pack houses to be registered.

Treatment facilities

Treatment facilities, that are not already a registered establishment will be required to apply to register as a plant export registered establishment if they are wanting to apply for either:

  • Irradiation treatment of mangoes/lychees for export to the USA, or
  • Vapour heat treatment of mangoes for export to China, South Korea and Japan.

Background

Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce.

The protocols for exporting mangoes and lychees to USA, and mangoes to China and South Korea, mandate that farms and packhouses are accredited, and treatment facilities are registered with us prior to the export season. For mangoes to Japan, only treatment facilities, and post-treatment packing facilities must be registered.

For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant protocol and/or work plan 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.

Accredited property responsibilities – farms and packhouses

  • Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually (unless otherwise advised).
  • Growers may divide their farm 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. Further detail on map and block requirements can be found on the application forms and in the Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
  • Packhouses must submit a separate application for each packhouse facility.
  • All applicants, including existing accredited properties, must be available for audits, to ensure compliance with the relevant workplan and protocol.
  • Audits may occur pre-season and/or during the season (during harvest). Any farm or packhouse that was not accredited for the 2022–2023 season will be audited pre-season.
  • Pre-season audits will be conducted in August/September 2023. Our audit team will contact applicable farms and packhouses to arrange these audits. In-season audit periods will be determined during the season in consultation with industry.
  • We can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
  • Requirements for accredited properties, to assist in preparing for audit, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.

Crop monitor responsibilities

Only crop monitors who have completed the online training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.

  • Online crop monitor training is now open for mangoes and lychees.
  • Crop monitors must complete the training and pass the assessment before flowering (bud burst) when crop monitoring begins.
  • The course quiz will remain open until 1 September 2023.
  • We are currently working on releasing new crop monitoring modules to better support crop monitors.
  • The course content will remain accessible through to the end of the season for crop monitors to refer to for information.
  • Crop monitors must be audited for compliance at the relevant accredited property audit.

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 are currently approved by us for the irradiation treatment of mangoes and lychees to the USA, or the vapour heat treatment of mangoes to China, Korea and Japan will automatically be included on the approved list for export that we provide to the importing country. To confirm your approved operations, refer to your registered establishment’s Certificate of Registration.

Treatment facilities that are currently not approved for the countries, commodities and treatments they would like, must submit an Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d) to the Certificate Management Team and be audited by us and the importing country, where required.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding the lychee application process or the AMIA online application system, please contact:

Australian Lychee Growers Association
PO Box 6120
Mooloolah QLD 4553
Phone: 0417 639 927
Email: ALGAEO

Australian Mango Industry Association
PO Box 376
Brisbane Markets QLD 4106
Phone: 07 3278 3755 or 0457 555 838
Email: AMIA

If you have any questions regarding this IAN or are unable to submit your application using the AMIA online system please email the Horticulture Exports Program.

Rossana Carr
Acting Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern