This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Passionfruit from Vietnam: biosecurity import requirements draft report.
The draft report proposes that the importation of commercially produced passionfruit to Australia from all commercial production areas of Vietnam can be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements.
The draft report is being issued for a public consultation period, closing on 11 September 2023.
Stakeholders are invited to have their say on the draft report. We will consider all stakeholder comments received during the consultation period in preparing a final report.
We announced the commencement of this risk analysis on 30 August 2022, via Biosecurity Advice 2022-P08, advising it would be progressed as a review of biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report identifies 11 pests associated with fresh passionfruit from Vietnam that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. These pests are:
- fruit flies: Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae) and pumpkin fruit fly (Zeugodacus tau)
- mealybugs: Pacific mealybug (Planococcus minor) and mango mealybug (Rastrococcus invadens)
- scale insects: dictyospermum scale (Chrysomphalus dictyospermi), mulberry scale (Pseudaulacaspis pentagona) and West Indian red scale (Selenaspidus articulatus)
- spider mite: Tetranychus piercei
- thrips: melon thrips (Thrips palmi) and chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis).
Of these 11 pests:
- ten are quarantine pests, including melon thrips, which was also identified as a regulated article as it is capable of harbouring and spreading emerging orthotospoviruses that are quarantine pests for Australia
- one is a non-quarantine pest (chilli thrips) but is identified as a regulated article as it is capable of harbouring and spreading quarantine orthotospoviruses.
The identified pests are the same, or of the same pest groups, as those associated with other horticultural commodities that we have previously analysed.
The draft report proposes risk management measures, combined with operational systems, to ensure biosecurity standards are met.
The proposed risk management measures will reduce the risks posed by the 11 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
- for mealybugs, scale insects, spider mite and thrips
- pre-export visual inspection and, if found, remedial action.
The proposed risk management measures take account of regional differences in pest distribution within Australia. Pacific mealybug, dictyospermum scale, mulberry scale and melon thrips have been identified as regional quarantine pests for Western Australia. Melon thrips has also been identified as a regional quarantine pest for South Australia. These pests are considered regional quarantine pests as interstate quarantine regulations and enforcement are in place to prevent the introduction and distribution of these pests into the respective jurisdictions.
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 Advice notices and other notifications relating to plant biosecurity policy, including this risk analysis.
Monica Collins
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