2015-32 – Horticulture Exports Program – Lychee exports to the United States of America – Mango exports to the United States of America, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea

14 July 2015

Purpose

To advise the lychee industry that applications are now open for growers to nominate orchards/blocks for export to the United States of America (USA) and for packhouses and treatment facilities to apply for export to the USA in 2015.

To advise the mango industry that applications are now open for growers to nominate orchards/blocks for export to the USA, China and Korea and for packhouses and treatment facilities to apply for export to the USA, China, Japan and Korea in 2015.

Background

The USA Operational Work Plan for export of mango and lychee under irradiation treatment mandates that certain entities be approved by the Department of Agriculture prior to commencement of the export season for lychee and mango.

Protocols for export of mango to China, Japan and Korea under vapour heat treatment mandate that certain entities be approved by the Department of Agriculture prior to commencement of the season.

The tables below outline which entities require approval and the due dates for submission of applications to the Australian Lychee Growers Association (ALGA) and the Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA). Please note that depending upon which application date is selected, entities must be prepared for their audit commencing the week detailed in the table.

Key Points

• Growers may divide their orchard into blocks. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the orchard map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates. Further detail on map and block requirements can be found on the application forms.
• Growers must have all nominated blocks surveyed by a crop monitor that has been approved by the Department of Agriculture.
• Growers, packhouses and treatment facilities applying for lychee export need to complete and submit the attached application form to the ALGA email/postal address detailed on the form. Growers, packhouses and treatment facilities applying for mango export need to complete and submit the attached application form to the AMIA email/postal address detailed on the form. Applications are due by 27 July 2015.
• Once forms have been verified as complete by the ALGA and AMIA, these peak industry bodies must send the completed application forms to one of the below Department of Agriculture contact addresses by the 10 August 2015:

  se_plantexportverification@aff.gov.au
  Department of Agriculture
  Audit Services Group
  P.O. Box 1006
  Tullamarine 3043

• The Department of Agriculture will contact all entities applying for export to notify of audit dates and provide an audit briefing. Audits will be carried out against requirements in the protocols and work plans. Following completion of audits, results will be communicated to entities by the Department of Agriculture. Export approval number/s will be provided to orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities. Orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities may also be audited by the National Plant Protection Organisations of USA, Japan, Korea and China following commencement of trade, in accordance with protocol conditions.
• For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant work plan and protocol on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) Plant website. Work plans and protocols can be found at www.agriculture.gov.au/Micor/plants. To access these documents, you must be a registered Micor Plants user.
• To register for Micor, go to the registration webpage, complete all fields, and 'Submit'. You will be provided with your login details by email.

Please use the attached application forms to complete your application.

All queries from growers, packhouses and treatment facilities regarding the application process and general market access must be forwarded to the ALGA and AMIA.

Peter Creaser
Assistant Secretary (A/g)
Plant Export Operations