2024-29: Horticulture Exports Program – Applications for the export of mangoes and lychees to protocol markets

22 May 2024

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise that applications for the accreditation of farms and packhouses and registration of treatment facilities are now open to export mangoes and lychees to protocol markets for the 2024-25 season.

Summary of changes and key points

  • Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses intending to export:
    • Lychees to the USA
    • Mangoes to the USA, China, and South Korea.

Note: For mangoes to Japan, only treatment facilities and their associated post-treatment packing area must be registered.

Note: All information in the application including ABN, contact details, accredited property maps and addresses must be complete and correct, or the application may not be accepted.

  • Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity, and treatment combination for protocol markets. Registration details can be found under the Treatment facility responsibilities section of this IAN.

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, mandates 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 their associated post-treatment packing area must be registered.

For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant protocol and/or workplan in the ‘Documents’ section of the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor). To access these documents, you must register as a Micor Plants user.

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.

Note: For further information, refer to the Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties on the Plant Export Operations Manual.

  • Debt checks will now occur on all accredited property applications. Properties with debt owing to the department will be notified and given 10 business days to pay the relevant debt or enter into an arrangement to pay the debt. If the debt is not paid, the accredited property application will be refused.
  • 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 2023–2024 season will be audited pre-season.
  • Pre-season audits will be conducted in August/September 2024. 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.
  • The Plant Export Operations Manual contains additional information to assist in preparing for audit including requirements for accredited properties, management and audit guidelines and performance standards.

Crop monitor responsibilities

  • Online crop monitor training for mangoes and lychees must be completed annually through Learnhub. The training consists of a core module and a commodity specific module (mango or lychee).
  • Crop monitors must register to conduct crop monitor training by completing and submitting the Crop Monitor Training Request Form.
  • Crop monitors must complete the training and pass the assessment before flowering (budburst) when crop monitoring begins.
  • The course assessment will remain open until 2 September 2024.
  • The course content will remain accessible through to the end of the season for crop monitors to refer to for information.
  • Crop monitors will 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 for the irradiation treatment of mangoes and lychees to the USA, or vapour heat treatment of mangoes to China, Korea and Japan under their registered establishment, do not need to re-apply. To confirm your approved operations, refer to your registered establishment’s Certificate of Registration.

Treatment facilities that are intending to vary a registered establishment including structural changes are required to notify the Horticulture Export Program and complete the form to ‘make a structural change’ to their establishment through the Digital Export Service.

Treatment facilities that are currently not approved for the countries, commodities and treatments they would like, must complete and submit the form ‘Add a commodity, product, operation or function’ for their establishment through the Digital Export Service 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

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