20 December 2021
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Plant Biosecurity Advice 2021-P16 - Final report for the review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh Capsicum spp. fruit from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu
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This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Final report for the review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh Capsicum spp. fruit from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The final report recommends that the importation of fresh capsicum and chilli (Capsicum spp.) fruit from all commercial production areas of the listed Pacific Island countries be permitted for human consumption, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements.
The final report takes into account comments received from stakeholders on the draft report released on 16 April 2021.
The department announced the commencement of the risk analysis on 21 September 2018 (via Biosecurity Advice 2018-23) and released the draft report for public consultation on 16 April 2021 (Biosecurity Advice 2021-P07). Comments from stakeholders on the draft report were taken into consideration in preparing the final report.
This risk analysis was conducted in response to market access requests for fresh Capsicum spp. fruit to Australia from multiple Pacific Island countries.
The final report identifies 13 quarantine pests associated with fresh Capsicum spp. fruit from the assessed Pacific Island countries that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. These pests are:
- fruit flies: oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), tropical fruit fly (Bactrocera facialis), fruit fly (Bactrocera kirki), Fijian fruit fly (Bactrocera passiflorae), New Guinea fruit fly (Bactrocera trivialis), Pacific fruit fly (Bactrocera xanthodes) and melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae)
- whitefly (Bemisia tabaci complex)
- mealybugs: Pacific mealybug (Planococcus minor) and Jack Beardsley mealybug (Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi)
- thrips: chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis), melon thrips (Thrips palmi) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci).
All three thrips species were assessed as regulated articles as they are capable of harbouring and spreading emerging orthotospoviruses that are quarantine pests for Australia and therefore, require risk management measures. Pacific mealybug and melon thrips have been identified as regional quarantine pests for Western Australia. Melon thrips is also a regional quarantine pest for South Australia.
The final report recommends risk management measures, combined with an operational system, to ensure biosecurity standards are met.
The recommended risk management measures will reduce the risks posed by the 13 identified quarantine pests, so as to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia.
The recommended measures for whiteflies, mealybugs and thrips are:
- pre-export visual inspection, and if found, remedial action, or
- methyl bromide fumigation.
The recommended measures for fruit flies are:
- area freedom (including pest free areas, pest free places of production or sites), or
- fruit treatment considered to be effective against all life stages of fruit flies present in the exporting country, or
- conditional non-host status for specific Capsicum spp. varieties and specific fruit fly species.
The final report and more information about this risk analysis are available on our website. Printed copies of the report are available on request.
We invite stakeholders interested in receiving information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses to subscribe via our 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.
Monica Collins
A/g First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1)
Email: imports@awe.gov.au