18 March 2019
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the draft report for the review of biosecurity import requirements for fresh Chinese jujube fruit from China.
This draft report proposes that the importation of fresh Chinese jujubes to Australia from all commercial production areas of China be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements.
The department will publish the draft report for a 60 calendar day public consultation period, closing on 17 May 2019.
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.
The department announced the commencement of this risk analysis on 10 August 2018, via Biosecurity Advice 2018/20, advising it would be progressed as a review of biosecurity import requirements.
The draft report identifies eight pests associated with Chinese jujubes from China that require risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. The pests identified are:
- Fruit flies: Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis), guava fruit fly (Bactrocera correcta), melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae), jujube fruit fly (Carpomyia vesuviana)
- Borers: peach fruit borer (Carposina sasakii)
- Mites: hawthorn spider mite (Amphitetranychus viennensis)
- Mealybugs: Heliococcus mealybug (Heliococcus destructor)
- Thrips: chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis).
The draft report proposes a range of risk management measures, combined with an operational system, to reduce the risks posed by the eight pests to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia. These measures include:
- area freedom or fruit treatment (such as cold treatment; methyl bromide fumigation followed by cold treatment; or irradiation) for fruit flies
- area freedom or fruit treatment (such as methyl bromide fumigation or irradiation) or a systems approach approved by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for peach fruit borer
- pre-export visual inspection and, if detected, remedial action for spider mites, mealybugs and/or thrips.
The draft report and more information about this risk analysis are available on the department’s website. Printed copies of the report are available on request.
The department invites stakeholders interested in receiving information and updates on biosecurity risk analyses to subscribe via the department’s 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.
Dr Marion Healy
First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant Division
Telephone: 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1)
Email: Imports