25 October 2016
Purpose
To call for export applications from Australian carrot growers and packhouses / storage facilities in the states of New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia who intend to export carrots to Taiwan in 2017.
Applications for export approval of carrot production areas and packhouses / storage facilities must be completed and submitted by 11 November 2016.
Background
The export of fresh carrots to Taiwan from areas where burrowing nematode (Radopholus similis) is known to occur must follow protocol requirements outlined by Taiwan’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ).
The protocol requirements apply to the export of carrots from the states of New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.
Please refer to the Taiwan carrot protocol for further information on the requirements of growers and packhouses/storage facilities, as well as details of the soil testing procedure. The protocol is available on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR) Plants website.
To access the protocol, you must be a registered MICoR Plants user. To register, go to the registration webpage.
Complete all fields, and then click ‘Submit’. The MICoR Plants team will process your registration request. This can take up to five working days. You will be provided with your login details by email.
Summary of changes and key points
Carrot producers in the states of New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia who intend to export carrots to Taiwan in 2017 must complete and submit their Taiwan export application form by 11 November 2016. Late applications will not be accepted.
Growers intending to register carrot production areas for export to Taiwan must have the soil from export-approved production areas tested annually and found free of burrowing nematode. The soil testing procedure must follow the protocol requirements and be conducted by an organisation accredited to conduct soil testing for nematodes.
Carrot producers in the states of Victoria and Tasmania do not need to apply as these states are recognised as free of burrowing nematode.
Industry responsibilities
Growers and packhouses must complete and email the application form (attached) by 11 November 2016 to Ausveg.
Growers must submit the results of their soil tests either with their application form, at the time of the departmental audit, or just prior to the BAPHIQ audit. Soil tests must be conducted on export-approved production areas every 12 months. Late applications will not be accepted.
Departmental responsibilities
Following the receipt of completed application forms, the department will schedule audits of carrot production areas and packhouses / storage facilities to ensure they meet all protocol requirements. Carrot production areas and packhouses / storage facilities that pass the departmental audit will then need to pass an audit by BAPHIQ before they will be approved to export carrots to Taiwan.
All costs associated with the audit by BAPHIQ including travel, accommodation and meal costs are the responsibility of industry.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email Horticulture Exports Program ACT.
Dr Chris Parker
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch