20 June 2022
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Okra from India: biosecurity import requirements draft report.
This draft report proposes that the importation of commercially produced okra fruit to Australia from all commercial production areas of India be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements.
The draft report is being issued for a public consultation period, closing on 19 August 2022.
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.
We announced the commencement of this risk analysis on 26 February 2021, via Biosecurity Advice 2021-P02, advising it would be progressed as a review of biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report identifies 11 pests associated with commercially produced fresh okra fruit from India that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. These pests are:
- fruit flies: peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata) and melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae)
- mealybugs: papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus), Madeira mealybug (Phenacoccus madeirensis) and cotton mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis)
- scale insect: mulberry scale (Pseudaulacaspis pentagona)
- thrips: Eurasian flower thrips (Frankliniella intonsa), melon thrips (Thrips palmi) and chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis)
- spider mites: red okra spider mite (Tetranychus macfarlanei) and okra mite (Tetranychus truncatus).
Ten of the 11 identified pests are quarantine pests. The 2 quarantine thrips (F. intonsa and T. palmi) are also regulated articles as they are capable of harbouring and spreading emerging orthotospoviruses that are quarantine pests for Australia. An additional thrips species (S. dorsalis) is not a quarantine pest but is a regulated article as it is capable of harbouring and spreading emerging orthotospoviruses that are quarantine pests for Australia.
The draft report proposes risk management measures, combined with an operational system, to ensure biosecurity standards are met.
The proposed risk management measures will reduce the risks posed by the 11 identified pests, so as to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia. These measures are:
- for fruit flies:
- pest free areas, pest free places of production or pest free production sites, or
- fruit treatment (such as irradiation)
- for mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites and thrips:
- pre-export visual inspection, and, if found, remedial action.
The draft report and information about the risk analysis process 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.
Peter Creaser
Acting First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090
Email: imports@awe.gov.au