6 June 2019
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the draft report for the review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh strawberry fruit from Japan.
This draft report proposes that the importation of fresh strawberry fruit to Australia from all commercial production areas of Japan be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements. Strawberries must be produced in a glasshouse, or a plastic tunnel house or an equivalent structure.
The department has now published the draft report for a 60 calendar day public consultation period, closing on 5 August 2019.
Stakeholders are invited to have their say on the draft report. The department will consider all stakeholder comments received during the consultation period in preparing a final report.
The department announced the formal commencement of this risk analysis on 1 November 2017, via Biosecurity Advice 2017-22, advising it would be progressed as a review of biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report identifies 10 quarantine pests associated with fresh strawberries from Japan that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. The quarantine pests identified are:
- Drosophilid flies: Drosophila pulchrella, Drosophila subpulchrella and spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii)
- Spider mites: hawthorn spider mite (Amphitetranychus viennensis), spider mite (Eotetranychus geniculatus) and Kanzawa spider mite (Tetranychus kanzawai)
- Thrips: tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca), Eurasian flower thrips (Frankliniella intonsa), western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis)
- Bacteria: angular leaf spot (Xanthomonas fragariae).
The draft report proposes a range of risk management measures, combined with an operational system, to reduce the risks posed by the 10 quarantine pests to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia. These measures are:
- area freedom, or fruit treatment (such as methyl bromide fumigation or irradiation) for spotted wing drosophila and other drosophilid flies
- pre-export visual inspection and, if pests are detected, remedial action for spider mites and/or thrips
- area freedom or a systems approach approved by the Department of Agriculture for angular leaf spot.
The draft report and more information about this risk analysis are available on the department’s website. Printed copies of the report are available on request.
The department invites stakeholders interested in receiving information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses to subscribe via the department’s online subscription service. By subscribing to Biosecurity Risk Analysis Plant, you will receive Biosecurity Advices and other notifications relating to plant biosecurity policy, including this risk analysis.
David Ironside
First Assistant Secretary (A/g)
Biosecurity Plant Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1)
Email: imports