30 April 2024
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the draft report for Pomelo fruit from Vietnam: biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report proposes that the importation of commercially produced pomelo fruit 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 29 June 2024.
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 28 July 2023, via Biosecurity Advice 2023-P05, advising it would be progressed as a review of biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report identifies 19 pests associated with fresh pomelo fruit for human consumption from Vietnam that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. These pests are:
- psyllid: Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri)
- false spider mites: Brevipalpus phoenicis species complex
- fruit flies: carambola fruit fly (Bactrocera carambolae), guava fruit fly (Bactrocera correcta), Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata), melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae) and pumpkin fruit fly (Zeugodacus tau)
- mealybugs: cocoa mealybug (Exallomochlus hispidus), coffee mealybug (Planococcus lilacinus) and fruit tree mealybug (Rastrococcus invadens)
- scale insects: tropical grey chaff scale (Parlatoria cinerea), black parlatoria scale (Parlatoria ziziphi) and mulberry scale (Pseudaulacaspis pentagona)
- spider mites: citrus red mite (Panonychus citri) and Kanzawa spider mite (Tetranychus kanzawai)
- thrips: chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci)
- bacterium: citrus canker (Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri).
Of these 19 pests:
- 17 are quarantine pests, including Asian citrus psyllid and false spider mites, which were also identified as regulated articles as they are capable of vectoring pathogens that are quarantine pests for Australia. However, there are no reports of the quarantine viruses vectored by false spider mites being present in Vietnam. Therefore, the regulated article aspect of false spider mites is not applicable to pomelo fruit from Vietnam pathway.
- 2 are non-quarantine pests (chilli thrips and onion thrips) but are identified as regulated articles as they are capable of harbouring and spreading quarantine orthotospoviruses.
Three of the quarantine pests (mulberry scale, citrus red mite and Kanzawa spider mite) are regional quarantine pests for Western Australia. Whilst they have been recorded in some regions of Australia, interstate quarantine regulations are in place and enforced.
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 an operational system, to ensure biosecurity standards are met.
The proposed risk management measures will reduce the risks posed by the 19 identified pests, to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia. These measures are:
- for Asian citrus psyllid
- pest free areas, pest free places of production or pest free production sites; or
- a systems approach considered to be effective in mitigating the risk posed by this psyllid on pomelo fruit, and approved by the department; or
- fruit treatment considered to be effective against psyllids, such as methyl bromide fumigation.
- 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 false spider mites, mealybugs, scale insects, spider mite and thrips
- pre-export visual inspection, and if found, remedial action.
- for citrus canker
- a systems approach considered to be effective in mitigating the risk of this pathogen on pomelo fruit, and approved by the department.
The draft report and more 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 select option 1, then option 1)
Email: imports@aff.gov.au