13 December 2012
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft pest risk analysis report for fresh island cabbage from the Pacific (Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu).
The draft report is being issued for 60 days consultation. Written comments and submissions are invited by 11 February 2013.
The formal commencement of a pest risk analysis to assess fresh island cabbage leaves was announced in Biosecurity Advice 2012/02 on 19 January 2012.
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft pest risk analysis report for fresh island cabbage from the Pacific (Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu). Stakeholders have until 11 February 2013 to provide written comments on the draft report.
The draft pest risk analysis considers the risk associated with importing the leaves without stems, as island cabbage is readily propagated from stem material. This approach limits the risk of pathogens establishing in Australia through this commodity.
While island cabbage is known to grow in northern Australia, there is no local industry producing island cabbage in Australia for commercial sale.
This pest risk analysis has been conducted in collaboration with MAF New Zealand, which released its import health standard in July this year.
The draft report identifies eleven pests of potential quarantine concern to Australia associated with island cabbage in the countries assessed. The mariana mite (Tetranychus marianae), whitefly (Bemisia tabaci ‘Nauru’ biotype), tortoise scale (Coccus capparidis) and Pacific mealybug (Planococcus minor) have been identified as pests requiring phytosanitary measures. Tetranychus marianae and Planococcus minor are present in parts of Australia, but are assessed as pests for Western Australia.
The following risk management measures and operational procedures are recommended to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP):
- pre-export phytosanitary inspection of fresh island cabbage leaves, as well as certification by the NPPO that the consignment is free of quarantine pests
- on-arrival inspection to verify that quarantine pests, or any other regulated articles, are identified, if present, and subjected to remedial action
- clearance by DAFF.
Printed copies can be provided, if required.
Comments on the draft report must be submitted by 11 February 2013 to:
Biosecurity – Plant
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
Confidentiality
Stakeholders are advised that, subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received in response to Biosecurity Advices will be publicly available and may be listed or referred to in any papers or reports prepared on the subject matter.
The Commonwealth of Australia reserves the right to reveal the identity of a respondent unless a request for anonymity accompanies the submission. Where a request for anonymity does not accompany the submission, the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of their identity for the purposes of Information Privacy Principle 11 of the Privacy Act 1988.
The contents of the submission will only be treated as confidential if they are marked ‘confidential’ and can be classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
Dr Colin J Grant
First Assistant Secretary
Contact: Bill Magee
Telephone: +61 2 6272 5094
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 3307
Email: Plant Biosecurity