1 August 2017
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the draft report for the extension of the nectarine import risk analysis to peaches, plums and apricots from China.
The draft report proposes that the importation of fresh Chinese peaches (Prunus persica), plums (Prunus salicina and P.domestica) and apricots (Prunus armeniaca) to Australia be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity conditions.
This draft report is being issued for a 30 calendar day stakeholder consultation period. Written comments and submissions are invited by 30 August 2017.
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the draft report for the extension of nectarine import risk analysis to peaches, plums and apricots from China. Stakeholders have until 30 August 2017 to provide written comments on the draft report.
The department conducted a risk analysis for nectarines from China and the Final report for the non-regulated analysis of existing policy for fresh nectarine fruit from China (Final Report for Chinese Nectarines) was released in April 2016. The department proposes to extend the import policy for nectarines from China to include other stone fruit (peaches, plums and apricots) from China. This risk analysis builds on the Final Report for Chinese Nectarines and should be read in conjunction with the Final Report for Chinese Nectarines.
This draft report assesses the biosecurity risk associated with the import of fresh peaches (Prunus persica), plums (Prunus salicina and P.domestica) and apricots (Prunus armeniaca) from China into Australia.
The department has prepared this draft report after reviewing the assessment of the pests associated with Chinese nectarines, the pests associated with the other stone fruit (peaches, plums and apricots) and the latest scientific literature. The review has identified that the pests of quarantine concern for Chinese nectarines are the same as the pests of quarantine concern for the other stone fruit.
The review identified 20 pests of quarantine concern for the other stone fruit. Among these 20 pests, 19 were identified as quarantine pests for nectarines in the Final Report for Chinese Nectarines. The review identified an additional mealybug species, Phenacoccus aceris (apple mealybug), as being a quarantine pest for the three stone fruit that was not assessed in the Final Report for Chinese Nectarines. However, Phenacoccus aceris is also associated with nectarine fruit, and therefore should be considered to be a quarantine pest for all stone fruit, including nectarines. The Final Report for Chinese Nectarines recommended measures for mealybugs and these measures are also proposed for this additional mealybug. Phenacoccus aceris has also been assessed in USA stone fruit and Chinese apples and recommended measures proposed are the same as recommended in those risk analyses.
Given that the quarantine pests for these stone fruit and Chinese nectarines are the same, the measures recommended for the importation of Chinese nectarines are also proposed for Chinese peaches, plums and apricots. The proposed measures include:
- visual inspection and remedial action for leaf rollers, mealybugs, spider mite, and thrips
- area freedom or fruit treatment (cold disinfestations or irradiation) for fruit flies
- area freedom or fruit treatment (methyl bromide fumigation or irradiation) or a systems approach approved by the department for spotted wing drosophila
- area freedom or area of low pest prevalence or fruit treatment (methyl bromide fumigation or irradiation) or a systems approach approved by the department for fruit borers
- area freedom or area of low pest prevalence or alternative measures approved by the department for brown rots
- area freedom or systems approach approved by the department for plum pox virus
As no major pests issues have been identified that were not considered already in the Final Report for Chinese Nectarines, and the proposed measures are the same as that recommended for Chinese nectarines, a 30 calendar day stakeholder consultation period is considered appropriate. Comments on the draft report must be submitted by 30 August 2017.
The draft report and information about the risk analysis process are available from the department's website. Printed copies of the report are available upon request.
Written comments and submissions are invited by 30 August 2017.
Lodging a submission: There is no specific format for submissions, but they must be in writing, and identify the relevant technical biosecurity issues being raised with supporting evidence. Preferably, submissions should be in Microsoft Word or other text-based formats and lodged electronically via email or the online submission form, but postal submissions are acceptable. Submissions should be received by the department within the stated comment period. Submissions may be lodged via the following methods:
- the department’s website using the online template
- email to Plant
- mail to:
Plant Sciences and Risk Assessment
Biosecurity Plant Division
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
Privacy: The department requests that, at a minimum, you provide your name and contact details with your submission. Please indicate if you do not wish to have personal information published with your submission or disclosed to third parties.
Any personal information collected by the department as part of your submission will be used and disclosed by the department for the purposes stated in the Biosecurity Advice. Your personal information will be used to enable the department to contact you about your submission and may be disclosed to specialists, other Commonwealth government agencies, State or Territory government agencies or foreign government departments. Unless you request otherwise, the department may publish your personal information on the department’s website.
The department will handle your personal information in a manner consistent with relevant laws, in particular the Privacy Act 1988. Your personal information will be used and stored consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles and as outlined in the department’s Privacy Policy (available on the department’s website).
Confidentiality: Subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, content of submissions may be made public, unless you state you want all or part of your submission to be treated as confidential. A claim for confidentiality must be justified and provided as an attachment, marked ‘Confidential’. ‘Confidential’ material will not be made public. The department reserves the right not to publish submissions.
No breach of confidence will occur if the department shares your submission with a third party referred to under ‘Privacy’ in seeking advice in response to your submission.
Intellectual property: Responsibility for compliance with Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in submissions rests with the author(s). In lodging a submission, you warrant you have not knowingly infringed any third party IPR. By lodging a submission, you grant the Commonwealth a permanent, irrevocable, royalty-free, world-wide, non-exclusive licence to use, copy, reproduce, adapt, communicate and exploit all or any of the material contained in the submission.
Lois Ransom
First Assistant Secretary (A/g)
Biosecurity Plant Division
Contact: Peter Creaser
Telephone: +61 2 6272 3355
Email: Plant