09 February 2022
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise the kiwifruit industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses, and registration of treatment facilities to export kiwifruit to Thailand for the 2022 season.
Summary of changes and key points
- Applications are now open for farms and packhouses intending to export kiwifruit to Thailand for the 2022 season.
- Only farms located in Victoria and Queensland are eligible to apply under the protocol agreement.
- Farm and packhouse managers must complete the relevant application form/s below and submit to Audit Services by 5pm AEDT, Friday 25 February 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted. Note: All information in the application including ABN, contact details, maps and property addresses must be complete and correct or the application may not be accepted.
- Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
- Crop monitors must complete the generic crop monitor course online through Tocal College online eLearning hub by Friday 25 March 2022 to be eligible to conduct crop monitoring for kiwifruit to Thailand.
- Treatment facilities that are not already a registered establishment approved for onshore cold treatment to Thailand and wanting to apply for approval should contact the Horticulture Exports Program.
Specific market requirements
Export pathways for kiwifruit to Thailand requires accreditation of all farms and packhouses, and registration of cold treatment facilities.
Further details on specific market requirements (including area freedom) are available in the relevant workplans and protocols in the ‘Documents’ section of the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) Plants website. To access these documents, you must be a registered Micor Plants user.
To register for Micor, go to the registration webpage, complete all fields and then click ‘Submit’. You will be provided with your login details by email.
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce. The protocol for kiwifruit to Thailand mandates that farms, packhouses and treatment facilities must be accredited or registered with us prior to export.
Accredited property responsibilities – farms and packhouses
- Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually.
- Farms may divide their orchard into blocks which must be contiguous. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the farm map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates.
Note: For further information, refer to the Guideline: Management of horticulture export accredited properties. - Applicants must be available for audits by the department, to ensure compliance with the relevant workplans and protocols. Some entities may be audited by the importing country authority.
- We can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
- Requirements for accredited properties including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- Existing accredited properties will be subject to an audit pre-or mid-season.
- All new applicants must be available for pre-accreditation audits by the department to ensure compliance with the protocol and departmental requirements.
- Packhouses must provide evidence of adherence to one of the following industry food safety accredited schemes that comply with Thailand’s ‘good practices’ requirements for packhouses
Crop monitor responsibilities
Only crop monitors who have completed the online training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.
- Online crop monitor training for kiwifruit is through the generic crop monitoring course.
- The generic crop monitoring course is now open via the Tocal College online eLearning hub.
- Crop monitors must complete the assessment by Friday 25 March 2022.
- Crop monitors must be audited for compliance at the relevant accredited property audit.
Treatment facility responsibilities
- Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity and treatment combination for protocol markets.
- Treatment facilities that are currently approved for onshore cold treatment to Thailand under their registered establishment do not need to re-apply.
- Treatment facilities that are currently not approved for onshore cold treatment to Thailand should contact the Horticulture Exports Program.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email the Horticulture Exports Program.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch