Registering as a small horticultural products registered establishment
Under the Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Order 2011 (Plant Order) and the relevant charging guidelines, some horticulture exporters may be eligible for a reduced registered establishment charge of $600 per financial year (or part financial year) if they are eligible to be registered as a ‘small horticultural products registered establishment’ (SHPRE).
Not all horticultural products or registered establishments will be eligible. To be considered a SHPRE for this purpose, exporters need to meet specific requirements including an export tonnage limit.
In 2017, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources amended the Plant Order to broaden the eligibility criteria to register establishments as SHPREs. The purpose of this amendment is to enable a wider group of small horticulture grower-exporters to enter the export market through the competitive rate of the reduced annual charge for SHPREs. Such grower-exporters could include those who are not currently registered and are new to export as well as those who grow and wish to export multiple kinds of horticultural products. The department has also broadened the kinds of horticultural products identified in Table 1 to add melons, avocados, kiwi fruit, cut flower and all other kinds of horticultural products, such as plant nursery stock.
Eligibility criteria
New and existing exporters are able to apply for registration as a SHPRE.
New exporters should familiarise themselves with their responsibilities as an exporter prior to applying. You will need to meet all requirements for registering an establishment.
To be eligible for registration as a small horticulture products registered establishment you must:
- only use your establishment to produce and prepare for export eligible horticultural products identified in Table 1
- not occupy any other registered establishment within the financial year
- ensure the total amount you produce and prepare for export at your registered establishment does not exceed the amount allowed identified in Table 1 within the financial year.
Eligible horticultural product
Table 1 sets out the total amount of eligible horticultural products that can be produced, prepared and exported per financial year as a SHPRE.
The department will audit exports and registered establishment activities to ensure SHPREs remain within the requirements.
Table 1: Total amount of eligible horticultural products that can be produced, prepared and exported per financial year as a Small Horticultural Products Registered Establishment
Product | Maximum tonnage per year |
---|---|
Apples or pears (either or both) | 400 |
Avocados | 5 |
Cherries | 30 |
Citrus | 400 |
Cut flowers | 5 |
Kiwi fruit | 5 |
Leafy vegetable | 10 |
Mangoes | 100 |
Melons | 10 |
Stone fruit (except cherries) | 400 |
Strawberries or berries (either or both) | 5 |
Table grapes | 400 |
Vegetables other than leafy vegetables | 100 |
All other kinds of horticultural products | 5 |
Charges
If your SHPRE does not meet these requirements at any point within the financial year, you will be charged the full rate for your registered establishment as outlined in the charging guidelines.
The registration of new establishments also attracts a once-off $600 application fee, which is in addition to the annual charge based on the charging guidelines. Where registration has lapsed or the establishment was deregistered, an establishment will need to undergo a new registration process and pay the $600 application fee.
Registering as a small horticultural products registered establishment
To register as a small horticultural products registered establishment, return the completed application form to:
Business System Program
Plant Export Operations
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
Email Regestplant
Authorised officer model
Small exporters may also find further savings through the use of the Plant Exports Authorised Officer (AO) Model. Until 2011 only departmental authorised officers were permitted to undertake inspections of goods for protocol markets. Within the AO Model, external authorised officers can inspect goods exported under protocol market access arrangements under the Export Horticulture Protocol job function.