9 April 2013
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft non-regulated analysis of existing policy for Californian tables grapes to Western Australia.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) proposes that the importation of fresh table grapes for human consumption into Western Australia from California be permitted subject to the same quarantine conditions that apply for Californian table grapes exported to the rest of Australia.
This draft report is being issued for a 30-day consultation period. Written submissions are invited by 9 May 2013.
Biosecurity Advice 2012/06, on 29 March 2012, announced the formal commencement of a non-regulated analysis of existing policy to consider extending market access for Californian table grapes into Western Australia.
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of the release of the Draft non-regulated analysis of existing policy for Californian tables grapes to Western Australia. Stakeholders have until 9 May 2013 to provide written comment on the draft report.
Fresh table grapes from California have not previously been imported into Western Australia but have been imported into the other Australian states and territories since 2002. In conducting this analysis, DAFF took into consideration import conditions already established for the import of fresh table grapes from California into other Australian states and territories.
Under the current policy for the importation of Californian table grapes to other Australian states and territories, biosecurity measures are used to manage the risk of 36 pests to a very low level in order to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP).
The biosecurity measures used for the importation of Californian table grapes to the rest of Australia include:
- Pest management measures:
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- Fumigation treatment with SO2CO2 for the management of grapevine phylloxera as well as three spiders.
- Fumigation treatment with SO2CO2 followed by cold disinfestation treatment for the management of spotted wing drosophila.
- Visual inspection and remedial action (if there is a detection) for the management of grape erineum mite, hornbeam spider mite, williamette mite, pacific mite, consperse stink bug, glassy-winged sharpshooter, vine mealybug, grape mealybug, navel orangeworm, orange tortrix, grape leaffolder, salt marsh moth, western grapevine skeletoniser, omnivorous leafroller, bean thrips, grape thrips, Frankliniella minuta, californian citrus thrips and western flower thrips.
- Area freedom or non-host status for the management of grape curculio, grape looper, grape root worm, grape berry moth, McDaniel spider mite, avocado thrips, European grapevine moth, black rot, angular leaf spot, rust and angular leaf scorch and Mediterranean fruit fly.
- Supporting operational maintenance systems and verification of phytosanitary status.
In addition to the quarantine pests included in the current Californian table grape policy, the draft report identifies 14 additional pests of potential quarantine concern to Western Australia. The pest risk assessment found only one of these potential quarantine pests, the harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), did not achieve Australia’s ALOP.
To manage the risks associated with the importation of fresh table grapes from California to Western Australia the draft report proposes to continue the measures in the current policy. The draft report also proposes to add the harlequin ladybird to the list of species to be managed by visual inspection and remedial action (if detected) for the importation of Californian table grapes to Western Australia.
For the import policy for other Australian states and territories the draft report does not propose to change any of the conditions relating to existing pests.
Printed copies are available, if required.
Comments on the draft non-regulated analysis of existing policy must be submitted by 9 May 2013 to:
Biosecurity Plant
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
AUSTRALIA
Telephone +61 2 6272 3933
Facsimile +61 2 6272 3307
Email Plant Biosecurity
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.
Bill Magee
Acting First Assistant Secretary
Plant Division
Contact: Leesa Bloomfield
Telephone: +61 2 6272 3933
Facsimile: +61 2 6272 4333
Email: Plant Biosecurity