We released the draft report for the review of devitalisation on cut flower imports on 20 October 2025.
On Tuesday 11 November, we are holding a virtual information session for stakeholders to discuss the draft report findings and answer your questions. For more information and to register, visit our Humanitix event page.
Fresh cut flowers and foliage have been imported into Australia on a commercial basis for over 60 years. With this trade comes the potential to introduce unwanted pests and diseases into Australia.
In 2017, we reviewed import conditions for fresh cut flowers and foliage. The review found high pest detection rates on flowers and foliage at the Australian border, along with a growing volume of these imports. As a result, we implemented revised import conditions on 1 March 2018.
In 2018, we initiated a pest risk analysis (PRA) for the cut flower and foliage pathway to:
- assess the biosecurity risks posed by key pest groups associated with cut flowers and foliage imports to Australia
- determine whether the current import conditions managed biosecurity risks in a way that meets Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP).
The PRA is being conducted in 3 parts:
- Part 1 – thrips, aphids and mites (completed in June 2019)
- Part 2 – other arthropod pests (completed in June 2021)
- Part 3 – bacteria, viruses and fungi (on hold, announced October 2022)
We planned for part 3 to include a review of devitalisation requirements on imported cut flowers. Due to the complexity of the full analysis, we decided to separate the devitalisation review from part 3 and progress the devitalisation review first.
We have completed Part 1 of the pest risk analysis for cut flower and foliage imports.
About the pest risk analysis
We initiated this pest risk analysis to assess the biosecurity risks posed by pests associated with cut flowers and foliage imports to Australia, and determine whether the introduction of revised import conditions manages the biosecurity risks to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia.
Part 1 of the pest risk analysis assessed the three main pest groups that have been intercepted at the Australian border on imported cut flowers and foliage – thrips, mites and aphids.
Final report
Summary of the final report
We recommend phytosanitary measures to manage the biosecurity risks posed by thrips, mites and aphids.
These phytosanitary measures are suitable to manage the biosecurity risks, to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia. Import permits may be required in certain circumstances.
Pests
There are 259 species of thrips, mites and aphids, known to be associated with imported cut flowers and foliage.
Of the 259 species, 84 species of thrips, 47 species of mites and 21 species of aphids are identified as quarantine pests and/or regulated articles because they can vector viruses that are quarantine pests for Australia (e.g., orthotospoviruses). These species require phytosanitary measures to manage the biosecurity risks they pose for Australia.
An additional 32 species of aphids are identified as potential regulated articles because they can vector viruses that are quarantine pests for Australia (e.g. Plum pox virus). These aphid species will be regulated at the Australian border.
Risk management measures
Pre-export
Before cut flowers and foliage are exported to Australia, the exporting country must use one of three arthropod pest management options:
- NPPO-approved systems approach, or
- Pre-export methyl bromide fumigation, or
- NPPO-approved alternative pre-export disinfestation treatment.
In addition, the exporting country must ensure there are no live pests in the consignment. This is verified by the exporting country National Plant Protection Organisation’s (NPPO) pre-export visual inspection and remedial action if live pests are found.
In circumstances of changing biosecurity risk, permits may be required to import cut flowers and foliage imports.
On-arrival at Australian border
When consignments arrive at the Australian border, they will be:
- Visually inspected to verify that the biosecurity status of cut flowers and foliage meets Australia’s import conditions.
- Released if arthropod pests are unregulated (not of biosecurity concern), subject to freedom from other contaminants and pathogens.
- Treated if arthropod pests are identified as regulated (of biosecurity concern), or if the consignment does not meet Australia’s import conditions.
Download final report
Department of Agriculture, June 2019
Final pest risk analysis for cut flower and foliage imports – Part 1 (PDF 3.1 MB)
Final pest risk analysis for cut flower and foliage imports – Part 1 (DOCX 1.9 MB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Announcement
We announced the commencement of Part 1 of the pest risk analysis on 11 July 2018 (Biosecurity Advice 2018-12).
We have completed Part 2 of the pest risk analysis for cut flower and foliage imports.
About the pest risk analysis
We initiated this pest risk analysis to assess the biosecurity risks posed by pests associated with cut flowers and foliage imports to Australia, and determine whether the introduction of revised import conditions manages the biosecurity risks to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia.
Part 2 of the pest risk analysis assessed all arthropod pests other than thrips, mites and aphids that have been intercepted at the Australian border on imported cut flowers and foliage—including beetles, flies, bugs (other than aphids), wasps, bees and ants, and moths and butterflies.
Final report
Summary of the final report
We recommend the same phytosanitary measures as those recommended in Part 1 of the PRA. These phytosanitary measures are suitable to manage the biosecurity risks, to achieve the appropriate level of protection for Australia.
Should the biosecurity risks change, we recommend regulatory mechanisms be applied.
Pests
There are 583 species of insects from the insect groups Coleoptera (beetles), Diptera (flies), Hemiptera (bugs excluding aphids, which were assessed in Part 1), Hymenoptera (wasps, bees and ants) and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), known to be associated with imported cut flowers and foliage.
Of the 583 species, 74 species of beetles, 38 species of flies, 140 species of bugs (other than aphids) and 110 species of moths and butterflies are identified as quarantine pests. These species require phytosanitary measures to manage the biosecurity risks they pose for Australia.
Thirteen species of wasps, bees and ants are known quarantine pests for Australia, and they are already regulated at the Australian border.
An additional 6 species of beetles and 10 species of bugs (other than aphids) are of biosecurity concern because they have the potential to transmit pathogens that are quarantine pests for Australia. These species require phytosanitary measures to manage the biosecurity risks they pose for Australia.
An additional 8 species of beetles, 17 species of flies, 3 species of bugs (other than aphids), and 19 species of wasps, bees and ants are identified as being a ‘contaminating pest’, which means they have the potential to be a predator or parasitoid, transmit human and/or animal pathogens, or be a nuisance pest. These species will be regulated at the Australian border if they are found on imported cut flowers and foliage.
Risk management measures
Pre-export
Before cut flowers and foliage are exported to Australia, the exporting country must use one of three arthropod pest management options:
- NPPO-approved systems approach, or
- Pre-export methyl bromide fumigation, or
- NPPO-approved alternative pre-export disinfestation treatment
In addition, the exporting country must ensure there are no live pests in the consignment. This is verified by the exporting country National Plant Protection Organisation’s (NPPO) pre-export visual inspection and remedial action if live pests are found.
On-arrival at Australian border
When consignments arrive at the Australian border, they will be:
- Visually inspected to verify that the biosecurity status of consignments of cut flowers and foliage meet Australia’s import conditions.
- Released if arthropod pests are unregulated (not of biosecurity concern), subject to freedom from other contaminants and pathogens.
- Treated if arthropod pests are identified as regulated (of biosecurity concern), or if the consignment does not meet Australia’s import conditions.
If biosecurity risks change
In circumstances of changing biosecurity risk, we may apply regulatory mechanisms, such as:
- An import permit, or
- Amending and/or suspending a phytosanitary measure, or
- Suspending the import of a flower or foliage type and/or a country pathway.
Download final report
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, June 2021
Final Pest Risk Analysis for Cut Flower and Foliage Imports – Part 2 (PDF 8.3 MB)
Final Pest Risk Analysis for Cut Flower and Foliage Imports – Part 2 (DOCX 4.9 MB)
Appendix D: Arthropod pest interceptions – Part 2 (XLSX 169 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Announcement
We announced the commencement of Part 2 of the pest risk analysis on 18 April 2019 (Biosecurity Advice 2019-P05).
The third part of the PRA will assess the biosecurity risk posed by key pathogens linked to imports of flowers and foliage. Examples of these pathogens include viruses, viroid, bacteria, phytoplasma and fungi.
The PRA will also assess whether current measures reduce biosecurity risks to meet Australia’s ALOP.
One of these current measures is devitalisation. Due to the complexity of this analysis, we have separated the review of devitalisation requirements from part 3 of the PRA.
Announcement
We announced the commencement of Part 3 of the PRA for cut flowers and foliage imports on 12 October 2022.
More information about this risk analysis is available in the Announcement Information Paper.
Download
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, October 2022.
Announcement Information Paper – Cut flower PRA Part 3 (PDF 128 KB)
Announcement Information Paper – Cut flower PRA Part 3 (DOCX 48 KB )
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Next steps
After we finalise the devitalisation review, we will engage with stakeholders on next steps for Part 3 of the PRA.
We have released a draft report. The report reviews Australia’s devitalisation requirements for fresh cut flower and foliage imports.
About the review
Some types of cut flowers must currently be devitalised prior to export. This applies to species with the potential to be propagated from the stem. Devitalisation is a treatment that renders plant material incapable of propagation.
We are reviewing our devitalisation requirements for imported fresh cut flowers. This is to ensure our policy is scientifically justified and fit-for-purpose.
The review examines whether imported cut flowers are being used for propagation. We call this diversion from intended use (DFIU). Imported fresh cut flowers are only permitted to be used for decorative purposes. So, using them for propagation is a diversion from their intended use.
The review assesses the associated biosecurity risk of DFIU of imported cut flowers. It also considers whether the risk meets:
- Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP)
- key principles of the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS Agreement).
Draft report
We evaluated evidence on whether imported cut flowers are being propagated.
We then assessed the biosecurity risks of this practice, assuming the cut flowers weren’t devitalised. We call this the unrestricted risk estimate (URE).
We found that that the URE of DFIU of imported flowers cut flowers is:
- ‘negligible’ to ‘very low’ for personal DFIU
- ‘negligible’ for commercial DFIU.
This achieves Australia’s ALOP.
We also found that it is unlikely for individuals to be able to grow healthy plants from cut flowers. As such, measures are not required to manage the biosecurity risk associated with DFIU. So, we propose removing the requirement for devitalisation on imported cut flowers.
Australia must meet our international obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This means our risk management measures must:
- be scientifically justified
- only applied to the extent necessary
- not unnecessarily restrict trade.
Australia’s current cut flower devitalisation requirements do not meet these obligations.
Important: DFIU of any imported good may increase the biosecurity risks associated with the good. This practice is not permitted by the department. We have powers under the Biosecurity Act 2015 to investigate suspected DFIU, undertake an assessment of the biosecurity risk, and take action where required. Action can include:
- education and warnings
- significant fines
- revocation of permits and/or other approvals
- criminal prosecution or civil litigation.
Make a submission
You are invited to:
- read the draft report
- submit your feedback through Have Your Say.
This consultation closes on 19 December 2025.
We will consider your feedback in preparing the final report.
Draft Report – Review of devitalisation requirements for fresh cut flowers and foliage
If you have difficulty accessing these files, contact us for help.
Announcement
We notified stakeholders of the devitalisation review via email and webpage updates on 29 August 2024.
Next steps
Public consultation will close on 19 December 2025.
After this, we will:
- consider all feedback
- develop and publish a final report.
Your feedback during the consultation period will help inform our final report. We expect to release the final report in the second half of 2026. Please note that this is an indicative timeline and may be subject to change.
The final report reflects the completion of the review. We will then update import conditions on the Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) and issue changes to import permits.
Interested stakeholders can register in BICON to receive an alert when changes to a case are published.
Trade
Cut flower and foliage industry in Australia
In 2023-24, the total value of cut flower production in Australia was $289.9 million. The majority of cut flowers are grown in Victoria. Cut flowers are also grown in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Cut flowers are grown year-round, with peaks in February for Valentine’s Day, May for Mother’s Day, and a smaller peak in December for Christmas. Production occurs in high tech glasshouses, low tech protected cropping and outdoor fields, as well as in outdoor fields.
Cut flower and foliage imports
Australia allows the importation of permitted species of fresh cut flowers and foliage from approved countries for time-limited decorative purposes, subject to conditions.
In 2023-24, Australia imported $96.7 million worth of fresh cut flowers. The main countries cut flowers were imported from were Malaysia ($22.6 million), Kenya ($17.8 million), Ecuador ($15.5 million), China ($10.7 million) and Colombia ($9.9 million).
Cut flower and foliage exports
In 2023-24, Australia exported $9 million worth of fresh cut flowers. The main export markets for cut flowers were the Netherlands ($2 million), the United States ($1.8 million), Japan ($1.5 million), China ($1.3 million) and South Korea ($0.5 million).
Source: Hort Innovation – Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2023/24
Impact of the cut flower and foliage PRA
Parts 1 and 2 of the PRA collectively assessed 842 arthropod pests associated with the cut flower pathway. At the time, 514 were found to be quarantine pests for Australia.
Since the introduction of revised import conditions in 2018 and the publication of Parts 1 and 2 of the PRA, we have observed a 70% reduction in the rate of detections of quarantine pests in imported fresh cut flowers and foliage.
Keep informed
Register as a stakeholder
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Contact us
For more information, email imports or phone 1800 900 090 (option 1, option 1).