Questions and Answers

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (the department) helps people and goods move in and out of Australia while keeping Australia safe and protecting our industries from pests that exist in many other parts of the world.

As part of this role, the department is responding to a market access request from Sonora, Mexico for fresh table grapes.

A non-regulated analysis of existing policy (a review) is a process that identifies and assesses the risks posed by any unwanted pests that might be imported on Mexican table grapes and are not present in Australia.

If the risks associated with a proposed import exceed Australia’s appropriate level of protection, the analysis of existing policy specifies what measures should be taken to reduce those risks to an acceptable level.

A non-regulated analysis is undertaken when the potential quarantine pests of concern are the same as, or similar to, quarantine pests for commodities from other countries for which import policy exists.

Import policy already exists for table grapes from China, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Chile and the USA (California).

A preliminary assessment of table grapes from Sonora, Mexico indicated that the potential quarantine pests belong to the same pest groups previously assessed in other risk analyses; and there are established phytosanitary risk management measures for these pests.

Given the similarity of pests of concern and that there are established risk management measures for these pests, the department determined that the market access request for table grapes from Sonora, Mexico would be conducted as a non-regulated analysis of existing policy, rather than a regulated import risk analysis.

This approach is consistent with the Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2011.

Unlike a regulated analysis, there is no specific timeframe required to complete a non-regulated analysis of existing policy.

The draft report identifies 20 pests of quarantine concern that require phytosanitary measures. Out of these 20 pests, 18 are arthropods and two are fungal pathogens.

The 18 arthropods are: Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis), green sharpshooter (Draeculacephala minerva ), blue-green sharpshooter (Graphocephala atropunctata), grapevine mealybug (Planococcus ficus), Pacific mealybug (Planococcus minor), Comstock mealybug (Pseudococcus comstocki), Jack Beardsley mealybug(Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi), American grape mealybug (Pseudococcus maritimus), omnivorous leafroller (Platynota stultana), Kanzawa spider mite (Tetranychus kanzawai), bean thrips (Caliothrips fasciatus), grape thrips (Drepanothrips reuteri), western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), South American fruit fly (Anastrepha fraterculus), Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) and grapevine phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae).

The two fungal pathogens are: black rot (Guignardia bidwellii) and grapevine leaf rust (Phakopsora euvitis).

In addition, the draft report identified two spiders of sanitary concern that require sanitary measures. These two spiders are yellow sac spider (Cheiracanthium inclusum) and black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus).

The draft report proposes a range of risk management measures, combined with a system of operational procedures to ensure quarantine standards are met. These measures are considered to reduce the risk posed by the identified quarantine pests, and achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection. These measures include:

• visual inspection and, if detected, remedial action for the ladybird, sharpshooters, mealybugs, moth, spider mite and thrips
• area freedom, irradiation or cold treatment for fruit flies
• area freedom, systems approach approved by the department, irradiation or combined sulphur dioxide/carbon dioxide fumigation followed by cold treatment for spotted wing drosophila
• area freedom, sulphur pads or combined sulphur dioxide/carbon dioxide fumigation for grapevine phylloxera
• area freedom or systems approach approved by the department for black rot and grapevine leaf rust
• systems approach approved by the department or combined sulphur dioxide/carbon dioxide fumigation for spiders
• a supporting operational system to maintain and verify the phytosanitary status of export consignments.

A regional difference was identified for three pests. A mealybug and a spider mite species were identified as quarantine pests for Western Australia. A thrips species was identified as a quarantine pest for the Northern Territory.

The proposed quarantine measures take account of this regional difference.

A pest risk analysis has been undertaken to identify and assess any pests of quarantine or sanitary concern. The pest risk analysis concludes that a range of risk management measures, combined with a system of operational procedures to ensure quarantine standards are met, will provide an appropriate level of protection. Australia has established measures to manage these pests.

The assessment is based on the latest available scientific information and reflects Australia’s stringent approach to managing biosecurity risks.

A ‘zero risk’ stance is impractical as it would mean no tourists, no international travel and no imports of any commodities. Nevertheless, Australia invests heavily in biosecurity to ensure that risks are managed to at least a very low level.

Science-based risk analysis provides an important foundation for safe trade. Australia accepts imports only when we are confident that the risks of quarantine pests that could be associated with specific imports can be managed in accordance with Australia’s appropriate level of protection. This means the risks must be reduced to at least a very low level.

Australia exports almost two-thirds of its agricultural produce. The future of our agricultural and food industries, including their capacity to contribute to growth and jobs, depends on Australia’s capacity to maintain a good plant and animal health status. Our future also depends on the conditions our industries face overseas.

It is important to Australia that fair and consistent trading rules are in place around the world, as provided by the World Trade Organization. We cannot expect trading partners to take our produce if we are not prepared to apply the same rules to their products. Nor could we be optimistic about new markets opening up.

The department consulted with stakeholders before starting this analysis and throughout the drafting of the report. Stakeholders were given the opportunity to raise any concerns and were kept informed of the progress.

The department has released the Draft report for the non-regulated analysis of existing policy for table grapes from Sonora, Mexico for a 30 day stakeholder consultation period.

Stakeholders have the opportunity to raise their concerns during this consultation period, which will close on 12 February 2016.
Anyone interested in this draft report, or any future reports, should register as a stakeholder through the department's website.

Imported food for human consumption must satisfy Australia’s food standards. Australian law requires that all food, including imported food, meets the standards set out in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is responsible for developing and maintaining the Code, including Standard 1.4.2, maximum residue limits. The standards apply to all food in Australia, irrespective of whether it is grown domestically or imported.

Yes. Australia allows the importation of table grapes for human consumption from Chile, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and the USA (California) provided they meet Australia’s quarantine requirements. However, trade currently only occurs from the USA (California-counter seasonal) and Korea (counter seasonal and small quantities).

Yes. Australia currently produces around 120 000 tonnes of table grapes annually and exported over 85 000 tonnes during 2014 to several countries.

Key export markets for Australian table grapes include Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia.

Yes. During the past five years, Mexico exported between 137 000 and 171 000 tonnes of table grapes per year to around 16 countries.

98 per cent of Mexico’s exported table grapes go to the United States of America. Other export markets include Brazil, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Japan, New Zealand and Venezuela.

The main table grape export season for Mexico is from May to July. Mexico’s export season is counter seasonal to Australia’s peak table grape production season.