14 August 2024
Who does this notice affect?
Importers and brokers associated with importing ceremonial articles
What has changed?
The following import condition changes apply for the specified ceremonial articles:
1. Willow foliage (Salix spp.)
The department has conducted a technical assessment regarding the risk of (Phytophthora ramorum) -Sudden Oak Death (SOD) and its association with willow foliage (Salix spp.) grown and exported from the United States of America (USA).
The biosecurity risk of SOD associated with fresh willow foliage imported from the USA, cannot be managed appropriately.
Restricting import of willow foliage to Israel, a low-risk SOD country, is consistent with how the department manages other SOD hosts.
Fresh willow foliage for ceremonial purposes, will now only be permitted to be imported from Israel and only immediately prior to, and during, the Sukkot festival period.
2. Maile (Alyxia stellata) and Pandanus odorifer
Import conditions for maile (fresh cut Alyxia stellata foliage) and Pandanus odorifer fruit segments have also been reviewed and will be amended to allow import to Australia from additional countries.
Maile and Pandanus odorifer (Syn: Pandanus odoratissimus) fruit are permitted import into Australia from Pacific and Hawaiian Islands under the following proposed conditions.
- Alyxia stellata – foliage only
- Pandanus odorifer – fruit must be separated into segments, which may be cut to look like flowers. All plant parts must be washed and cleaned thoroughly to remove biosecurity risk material (BRM).
- Off-shore methyl-bromide fumigation, certified by NPPO via a phytosanitary certificate, or on-shore fumigation methyl-bromide at the rate of 32g/m³ for 2 hours at 21°C at normal atmospheric pressure
- Verification inspection of 100% of the consignment
Note: Pacific countries include, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kingdom of Tonga, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Island, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Nauru, Samoa (Western), Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna Islands.
Import conditions for thoroughly dried or processed Pandanus spp. can be found in the BICON case Plant fibre products and seed handicrafts and Permitted plant fibres.
Further information
The applicable BICON case for these goods is: Fresh fruit and foliage for ceremonial purposes.