8 March 2023
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Okra from India: biosecurity import requirements final report.
The final report recommends 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 final report takes into account comments received from stakeholders on the draft report released on 20 June 2022.
We announced the commencement of this risk analysis on 26 February 2021, via Biosecurity Advice 2021-P02, and released the draft report for public consultation on 20 June 2022, via Biosecurity Advice 2022-P06. Comments from stakeholders on the draft report were considered in preparing the final report.
This risk analysis was conducted in response to a formal market access request from India for fresh okra to Australia.
The final report identifies 10 pests associated with commercially produced fresh okra 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) and Madeira mealybug (Phenacoccus madeirensis)
- 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).
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 10 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 (such as irradiation)
- for mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites and thrips
- pre-export visual inspection, and, if found, remedial action.
The final report and more information about this risk analysis 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, select: option 1, option 1)
Email: imports@aff.gov.au