Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of farms, packhouses and treatment facilities to export table grapes to protocol markets for the 2019–20 season.
Summary of changes and key points
- Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms, packhouses and treatment facilities to export table grapes to China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for the 2019–20 season.
- Farms and packhouses can complete their application forms through the table grape export registration system. Applications must be completed by 5pm AEST, Saturday, 31 August 2019.
- Treatment providers with facilities already accredited to treat table grapes for export to these protocol markets do not need to apply.
- Treatment providers who have recently applied to the department, as part of the implementation of the Australian phytosanitary treatment application standards, do not need to reapply, unless their details or circumstances have changed.
- Completed applications for registration as a horticulture export treatment facility must be submitted to the Department of Agriculture’s Audit and Assurance Group as per the instructions in the forms below by 5 pm AEST, Friday, 30 August 2019.
- Farms, packhouses and new treatment facilities will be subject to audits by the department.
- Crop monitor training and assessment for table grapes is available through the online eLearning hub.
Download
| Document | Pages | File size |
|---|---|---|
Application for registration as a horticulture export treatment facility PDF  |
6 | 284 KB |
If you have difficulty accessing these files, please visit web accessibility.
Specific market accreditation requirements
Export pathways for table grapes to protocol markets are:
- China – accreditation of all farms and packhouses; cold treatment; and combination treatment (fumigation plus cold treatment).
- Taiwan – accreditation of packhouses*; and cold treatment.
- Japan – cold treatment.
- Korea – accreditation of all farms and packhouses*; area freedom; and cold treatment.
- Thailand – accreditation of all farms and packhouses*; and cold treatment.
- Vietnam – cold treatment.
*Note: Packhouse accreditation is not required if product is packed in-field for Korea, Taiwan and Thailand protocol markets.
Further details on specific market requirements (including area freedom) are available in the relevant work plans and protocols on the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) Plants website. To access these documents, you must register as a Micor Plants user.
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce. Some farms, packhouses and treatment facilities intending to export table grapes to markets such as China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam may be required to be accredited by the department, prior to export depending on export pathway.
Accredited property responsibilities
- Farms and packhouses must apply for accreditation annually (unless otherwise advised).
- Farms may divide their orchards into blocks. Each block must be clearly identified on the application form and on the farm map by its physical address or geographic co-ordinates.
- Applicants must be available for audits by the department, to ensure compliance with the relevant work plans and protocols. Some entities may be audited by the importing country authority.
- Audits by the department may occur pre-season and/or during the season. Any farm or packhouse that was not accredited for the 2018–19 season will be audited pre-season.
- Requirements for accredited properties, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- The department can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
Treatment facility responsibilities
- Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment under the Export Control Act 1982.
- Treatment providers must comply with the requirements for accredited properties; including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
- Treatment providers must be familiar with Volume 12: Treatments and comply with the new Australian phytosanitary treatment application standards and performance standards relevant to their operations, from September 2019. See IANs 2019-10 and 2019-17 for more information.
- The department can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
Crop monitor training
Only crop monitors who have completed the online training and passed the assessment are eligible to conduct crop monitoring for protocol markets.
The online crop monitor training is now open via the Tocal College online eLearning hub.
- The assessment quiz closes on Saturday, 31 August 2019.
- The eLearning course content will remain accessible through to March 2020.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the table grapes export registration system, please email Jscott@atga.net.au.
If you have any questions regarding this IAN please email the Horticulture Exports Program.
David Ironside
Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch