9 December 2022
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Dragon fruit from the Philippines: biosecurity import requirements draft report (PDF 3.36 MB).
This draft report proposes that the importation of commercially produced dragon fruit to Australia from all commercial export production areas of the Philippines be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements.
The draft report is being issued for a public consultation period, closing on 22 February 2023.
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 21 February 2022, via Biosecurity Advice 2022-P01, advising it would be progressed as a review of biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report identifies 8 pests associated with fresh dragon fruit that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. These pests are:
- fruit flies: Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) and melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae)
- mealybugs: grey pineapple mealybug (Dysmicoccus neobrevipes), papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) and Jack Beardsley mealybug (Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi)
- thrips: western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), melon thrips (Thrips palmi) and chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis).
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 8 identified pests, 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 considered to be effective against fruit flies such as irradiation or vapour heat treatment
- for mealybugs 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.
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 and Science Services Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (when prompted press option 1, option 1)
Email: imports@aff.gov.au