10 October 2025
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise of new protocol requirements for the export of blueberries to Vietnam.
Summary of changes and key points
- Vietnam has granted market access for Australian fresh blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum).
- The protocol details phytosanitary requirements and has been published in the ‘Documents’ section on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor). To access these documents, you must be a registered Micor Plants user.
- The protocol will be available on Micor from the week of 13 October 2025.
- Farms, packhouses and treatment facilities must be accredited or registered with the department prior to export.
- Farm and packhouse managers can complete their application forms online through the Berries Australia registration system. Applications must be complete by 5:00pm AEDT Friday 24 October 2025.
- Interested parties who have already applied should confirm their application is complete and accurate on the Berries Australia registration system.
NOTE: Late submissions will not be accepted. - Crop monitors must complete the online module training and assessment through LearnHub by 5:00pm AEDT Friday 31 October 2025, to be eligible to crop monitor for this export pathway.
Background
In October 2025, the department finalised a new protocol pathway for the export of blueberries to Vietnam.
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce.
The protocol for exporting blueberries to Vietnam mandates that farms, packhouses and treatment facilities are accredited or registered with us prior to the export season.
Specific market requirements
Export pathway for blueberries to Vietnam requires:
- accreditation of all farms and packhouses
- registration of cold treatment, irradiation treatment and methyl bromide fumigation treatment facilities.
Exporter responsibilities
It is the exporter’s responsibility to ensure familiarity with the protocol and the requirements for export.
Accredited property responsibilities – farms and packhouses
- Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually.
- Growers may divide their farm into blocks. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the farm map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates. A block must be a contiguous unit and not be separated by structures such as a building, public road or body of water.
Note: For further information, refer to the Process Instruction: Management of horticulture export accredited properties in the Plant Export Operations Manual. - Debt checks will occur on all accredited property applications. Properties with debt owing to the Commonwealth will be notified and given 10 business days to pay the relevant debt or enter a payment arrangement to pay the debt. If the debt is not paid, the accredited property application will be refused.
- Farms and packhouses must be available for audits by us, to ensure compliance with the protocol and our requirements.
- Before exports can commence, all farm and packhouse applicants must be audited.
- Accreditation will be reliant on audit outcomes.
- The department can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
- Requirements for accredited properties, including management and audit process instructions and performance standards can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- Farms and packhouses wishing to withdraw from the accreditation process after the closing period 24 October 2025 will need to email Audit and Assurance Branch and provide a reason for withdrawal.
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 not currently approved for the countries, commodities and treatments required must complete and submit the form, ‘Add a commodity, product, operation or function’ for their establishment through the digital Export Service and be audited by us. Once approved, facilities do not need to reapply in the future.
Crop monitoring responsibilities
- Crop monitor training and assessment must be completed to be eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.
- The training consists of a core module and a commodity specific module (blueberries).
- Crop monitors must register to conduct crop monitor training by completing and submitting the Crop Monitor Training Request Form.
- Crop monitors must complete the training and assessment through LearnHub.
- Crop monitors will be audited for compliance at the relevant accredited property audit.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding applying for accreditation, please email Berries Australia.
If you have any questions regarding this IAN, please email Horticulture Exports.
Jemma Martin
Assistant Secretary
Plant Exports Branch