16 April 2012
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft import risk analysis report for fresh ginger from Fiji.
The draft report is being issued for 60 days consultation. Written comments and submissions are invited by 15 June 2012.
The formal commencement of a regulated import risk analysis to assess Fiji¡¦s market access request for fresh ginger was announced in Biosecurity Australia Advice 2010/23 on 13 August 2010.
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft import risk analysis report for fresh ginger from Fiji. Stakeholders have until 15 June 2012 to provide written comments on the draft report.
The draft report identifies eight pests of potential quarantine concern to Australia associated with ginger in Fiji. Yam scale (Aspidiella hartii) has been identified as a pest requiring phytosanitary measures. The following risk management measures and operational procedures are recommended to achieve Australia¡¦s appropriate level of protection (ALOP):
- sourcing ginger only from registered export farms via registered packing houses
- pre-export phytosanitary inspection, as well as certification by the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF), identifying details of the grower and packing house
- on-arrival inspection to ensure that ginger rhizomes infested with yam scale, Aspidiella hartii, or any other regulated articles, are identified, if present, and subjected to remedial action
- clearance by DAFF Biosecurity.
Printed copies can be provided, if required.
Comments on the draft report must be submitted by 15 June 2012 to:
Biosecurity - Plant
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
Confidentiality
Stakeholders are advised that, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received in response to Biosecurity Advices will be publicly available and may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports prepared on the subject matter.
The Commonwealth of Australia reserves the right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request for anonymity accompanies the submission. Where a request for anonymity does not accompany the submission, the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of their identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of the Privacy Act 1988.
The contents of the submission will only be treated as confidential if they are marked 'confidential' and can be classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Dr Colin J Grant
First Assistant Secretary
Contact: Kat Smith
Telephone: +61 2 6272 5094
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 3307
Email: Plant