Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Help for those affected by flood

Visit nema.gov.au.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Minister
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Read more about our Budget

    Budget October 2022-23

    The 2022–23 October Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 October 2022.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Biosecurity
  4. Biosecurity risk analysis
  5. Group pest risk analyses
  6. Scales

Sidebar first - Biosecurity

  • Group pest risk analyses
    • Group pest risk analysis for scale insects
      • Draft report fact sheet
    • Group pest risk analysis for thrips and orthotospoviruses
      • Draft report
      • Fact sheet
      • Final report
    • Group pest risk analysis for mealybugs
      • Draft report
      • Draft report fact sheet
      • Final report
      • Final report fact sheet

Group pest risk analysis for scale insects

Final group pest risk analysis for soft and hard scale insects on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut-flower and foliage imports

We have now completed the group pest risk analysis (PRA) for soft and hard scale insects on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut flower and foliage imports.

When we do a group pest risk analysis, we:

  • review the available scientific knowledge on the pest group, including pest interception data and previous PRAs, to provide an overarching analysis of the risks posed by the group
  • assess and analyse biosecurity risks
  • propose risk management measures to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection, if required
  • consult the public on the draft group PRA and then review stakeholder comments. Take relevant comments into consideration in preparing a final report
  • publish the final group PRA and issue a biosecurity advice.

About the group pest risk analysis

We are improving the effectiveness and consistency of the PRA process. A key step in this improvement is the development of the group PRA, which considers the biosecurity risk posed by a group of pests across numerous import pathways.

Organisms are grouped if they share common biological characteristics, and, as a result, also have similar likelihoods of entry, establishment and spread, and comparable consequences. Thus, posing a similar level of biosecurity risk.

We will use the finalised group PRA to identify risk management measures and alternative risk management options. These may be considered on a case-by-case basis when developing new import conditions for specific commodities or reviewing existing import conditions that are currently traded.

This is the third group PRA to be finalised. Group PRAs for thrips and orthotospoviruses, and for mealybugs and the viruses they transmit were finalised in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

Summary of the final report

Scale insects can cause economic impacts across a range of crops by reducing yield, quality and marketability.

This group PRA considered the biosecurity risks posed by all members of the family Coccidae (soft scales) and the family Diaspididae (hard scales) in the insect order Hemiptera on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut flower and foliage imports. In addition, this group PRA assessed all plant viruses transmitted by the soft and hard scales.

This group PRA identified the key quarantine pests of biosecurity importance to Australia in these two families of organisms.

Pests

  • 243 species of soft scale insects were identified as quarantine pests for Australia, including:
    • nine species that are pests of regional concern for Western Australia
    • one species that is a pest of regional concern for New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.
  • 332 species of hard scale insects were identified as quarantine pests for Australia, including:
    • two species that are pests of regional concern for the Northern Territory
    • 30 species that are pests of regional concern for Western Australia
    • one species that is a pest of regional concern for the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.
  • No plant viruses of biosecurity concern were identified as being transmitted by soft and hard scale insects.

Risk management measures

The indicative unrestricted risk estimates for scale insect quarantine pests was assessed as ‘Low’, which does not achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia. Therefore, risk management measures are required for these pests if the indicative unrestricted risk estimate of ‘Low’ is verified for a specific plant import pathway.

These measures and alternative risk management options may be considered on a case-by-case basis when developing new import conditions for specific commodities or reviewing existing import conditions for commodities that are currently traded. Import commodities will be regulated if they are infested with scale insect quarantine pests to reduce the risk of establishment of these organisms in Australia. Where measures are required, the following options are recommended:

  • pre-export visual inspection and if quarantine scale insects are found, remedial action (e.g. suitable treatment) to manage the identified pest
  • a systems approach
  • treatment
  • area freedom.

On-arrival verification will be undertaken to provide assurance that Australia's import conditions have been met and appropriate level of protection achieved.

Imported goods that are frequently found to be infested with scale insects may be subject to mandatory, pre-export treatment approved by Australia.

Download submissions on the draft report

Available until June, 2022.

Document Pages File size
Apple & Pear Australia LTD PDF  2 165 KB
Flower Industry Australia PDF  10 172 KB
WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development - Letter PDF 
WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development - Submission PDF 
1

6
501 KB

287 KB
QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries PDF  2 570 KB

blished submissions may not meet Australian Government accessibility requirements as they have not been prepared by us. If you have difficulty accessing these files, contact us for help.

Download final report

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, June 2021.

Document Pages File size
Final group pest risk analysis for soft and hard scale insects on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut-flower and foliage imports PDF  272 4.8 MB
Final group pest risk analysis for soft and hard scale insects on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut-flower and foliage imports DOCX  272 2.6 MB

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for help.

Download draft report

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, November 2020.

Document Pages File size
Draft group pest risk analysis for soft and hard scale insects on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut-flower and foliage imports PDF  267 4.8 MB
Draft group pest risk analysis for soft and hard scale insects on fresh fruit, vegetable, cut-flower and foliage imports DOCX  261 2.7 MB

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for help.

Next steps

We will use this group PRA when reviewing existing import conditions, or when developing new import conditions, for specific commodities when scale insects are identified as a potential pest.

New scientific information

Scientific information can be provided to us at any time, including after a risk analysis has been completed. We will consider the information provided and review the analysis.

Keep informed

Register as a stakeholder

Subscribe to Biosecurity Risk Analysis Plant via the department’s online subscription service to receive Biosecurity Advices and other notifications relating to plant biosecurity policy.

Contact us

For more information, you can email plantstakeholders.

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 25 June 2021

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.