Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium)

Phase 1 of the urgent actions commenced on 3 September 2020. As of this date, high-risk plant products from all countries are not permitted entry into Australia within:

• unaccompanied personal effects (UPEs) or
• low value (less than $1,000) air and sea freight (lodged through self-assessed clearance (SAC)).

This ban does not apply to goods imported as commercial trade samples or for research purposes.

Goods arriving for commercial use or for research purposes within low value freight must be for commercial use by an Australian company or business or for research purposes only. They will be required to be:

• accompanied by a Supplier’s declaration, Manufacturer’s declaration, Commercial invoice or Importer declaration with evidence that the goods have been imported by an Australian company or business or
• a statement that the consignment is intended for research purposes.

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in export or destruction of the goods upon arrival in Australia.

An overview of phase 1 is available in the below infographic. Help us keep khapra beetle out of Australia by sharing it with your friends, family and colleagues.

Document	Pages	File size
Unaccompanied Personal Effects and Low Value Freight Infographic PDF	1	909 KB
Unaccompanied Personal Effects and Low Value Freight Infographic DOCX	3	1.6 MB

If you have difficulty accessing these files, please visit web accessibility.

Phase 2 commenced on 15 October 2020. In this phase, the ban on high-risk plant products was extended to international travellers and mail articles.

• Baggage carried by international travellers (including crew) entering via sea or air or
• mail articles (including items posted using Express Mail Service).

Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the destruction of the goods upon arrival in Australia.

An overview of phase 2 is available in the below infographics. Help us keep khapra beetle out of Australia by sharing them with your friends, family and colleagues.

Document	Pages	File size
Mail and Traveller Infographic PDF	1	789 KB
Mail and Traveller Infographic DOCX	3	3.7 MB
Mail Infographic PDF	1	553 KB
Mail Infographic DOCX	2	1.3 MB
Traveller Infographic PDF	1	1.1 MB
Traveller Infographic DOCX	2	1.4 MB

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Phase 3 has been put on hold while we complete the higher priority work on sea containers. It will introduce requirements for high-risk plant products imported via commercial pathways, excluding seeds for sowing; and goods for research purposes coming as low value freight. We will consider transitional arrangements to accommodate consignments in transit closer to the implementation.

These requirements will differ depending on the country of origin or export. We are engaging with trading partners to ensure they are aware of their requirements under these changes.

Target-risk country of origin or export

High-risk plant products from target-risk countries sent via all modes of arrival (except those banned in Phases 1 and 2) will be required to be:

• treated offshore using an approved treatment option
  
  AND

• inspected and certified by government officials of the exporting country on a phytosanitary certificate that includes Additional Declaration A.

Other risk country of origin or export

High-risk plant products from all other countries sent via all modes of arrival (except those banned in Phases 1 and 2) will be required to meet one of the following options:  

• Option 1 - Inspected and certified by government officials of the exporting country on a phytosanitary certificate that includes Additional Declaration B.
  
  OR

• Option 2 - Treated offshore using an approved treatment option
  
  AND

• Inspected and certified by government officials of the exporting country on a phytosanitary certificate that includes Additional Declaration A.

Research Material arriving as low value freight

High risk plant products arriving for research purposes within low value freight (value less than $1,000) must be for research purposes only. They will be required to be:

• accompanied by a Supplier’s declaration, Manufacturer’s declaration, Commercial invoice or Importer declaration with evidence that the goods have been imported by an Australian company or business or
• a statement that the consignment is intended for research purposes.
   

Phase 4 has been put on hold while we complete the higher priority work on sea containers. It will introduce requirements for other risk plant products (excludes seed for sowing; and goods imported for research purposes as low value freight). We will consider transitional arrangements to accommodate consignments in transit closer to the implementation.

These requirements will differ depending on the country of origin or export. We are engaging with trading partners to ensure they are aware of their requirements under these changes.

Target-risk country of origin or export

Other risk plant products from target-risk countries sent via all modes of arrival will be required to meet one of the following options: 

• Option 1 - Inspected and certified by government officials of the exporting country on a phytosanitary certificate that includes Additional Declaration B.
  
  OR

• Option 2 - Treated offshore using an approved treatment option
  
  AND

• Inspected and certified by government officials of the exporting country on a phytosanitary certificate that includes Additional Declaration A.

Other risk country of origin or export

Other risk plant products from all other countries sent via all modes of arrival will be required to be inspected and certified by government officials of the exporting country on a phytosanitary certificate. The certification must include Additional Declaration B.

Research Material arriving as low value freight

Other risk plant products arriving for research purposes within low value freight (value less than $1,000) must be for research purposes only. They will be required to be:

• accompanied by a Supplier’s declaration, Manufacturer’s declaration, Commercial invoice or Importer declaration with evidence that the goods have been imported by an Australian company or business or
• a statement that the consignment is intended for research purposes.
   

Phase 5 has been put on hold while we complete the higher priority work on sea containers. We will consider transitional arrangements to accommodate consignments in transit closer to the implementation.

It will require all imported seeds for sowing (excluding seeds imported for research purposes as low value freight; and those banned in phases 1 and 2) from all countries via commercial pathways to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate that includes Additional Declaration B.

We are engaging with trading partners to ensure they are aware of their requirements under these changes.

Research Material arriving as low value freight

Seeds for sowing arriving for research purposes within low value freight (value less than $1,000) must be for research purposes only. They will be required to be:

• accompanied by a Supplier’s declaration, Manufacturer’s declaration, Commercial invoice or Importer declaration with evidence that the goods have been imported by an Australian company or business or
• a statement that the consignment is intended for research purposes.

Phase 6A will introduce offshore treatment requirements for target risk sea containers from 12 April 2021. To comply with the new measures, all target risk containers exported on or after 12 April 2021 must be treated and accompanied by a valid treatment certificate. If a phytosanitary certificate is to be provided for sea containers, this must also be accompanied by a valid treatment certificate.

We are running information sessions to provide further information on these changes prior to implementation. Register to attend: khapra-beetle-containers-information-sessions.eventbrite.com.au

What are target risk containers?

A target risk container is defined as a:

• FCL/FCX container carrying high-risk plant products and loaded in a khapra beetle target risk country
• FCL/FCX container shipped from a khapra beetle target risk country and destined to a rural grain growing area of Australia.

Note: ISO tanks, reefers, flat racks, LCL /FAK and containers that will be shipped as empty containers are excluded from the measures.

What are the measures for target risk containers?

Target risk containers exported on or after 12 April 2020 must be:

• Treated offshore using a department approved treatment option prior to loading goods.
• Accompanied by a valid offshore treatment certificate or phytosanitary certificate. 

Further detail on the certification requirements will be published on this webpage soon. 

Phase 6B is expected to commence in late 2021 and will introduce measures to a broader range of containers (i.e. all high-risk containers). Further information about these measures, including details on consultation, will be made available on our website.

Prior to loading the goods, the container must be fumigated with a dose of 80 g/m³ or above, at 21°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 20 g/m3 or above.

The fumigation must be conducted in a sheeted enclosure and in accordance with the department’s Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology.

Prior to loading the goods, the container must be heat treated at 60°C or higher for a minimum of 120 minutes.

The treatment must be conducted in accordance with the Heat Treatment Methodology. Additional container-specific heat treatment instructions will be released prior to implementation of Phase 6A. 

Prior to loading the goods, the container must be sprayed with contact insecticide. Additional details on this treatment option will be released prior to implementation of Phase 6A.

The goods must be fumigated with a dose of 80 g/m³ or above, at 21°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours. The fumigation must be conducted in accordance with the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology, including end-point retention and dose compensation requirements.

The goods must be heat treated at 60°C or higher (measured at the core of the goods) for a minimum of 120 minutes. The treatment must be conducted in accordance with the Heat Treatment Methodology.

The goods were treated with one of the following:

• Methyl bromide fumigation (dose of 80 g/m3 or above, at 21°C or above for a minimum of 48 hours) in accordance with Department’s methyl bromide fumigation methodology OR
• Heat treatment (for a minimum of 120 minutes at 60°C or higher, measured at the core of the goods) in accordance with the Department’s heat treatment methodology
  
  AND
  
  Following treatment, representative samples from the consignment for export to Australia have been drawn and visually inspected in accordance with official procedures and determined to be free from all live species of Trogoderma

Representative samples from the consignment for export to Australia have been drawn and visually inspected in accordance with official procedures and determined to be free from all evidence of species of Trogoderma (live, dead or exuviae) 

The following exclusions apply: 

• goods that are thermally processed that are commercially manufactured and packaged such as retorted, blanched, roasted, fried, par-boiled, boiled, puffed, malted or pasteurised goods 
• goods that are chemically processed and preserved such as with a Formalin Propionic Acid fixative, Formalin Acetic acid alcohol, Carnoy’s fixative or ethanol. 
• fresh vegetables 
• commercially manufactured frozen or freeze-dried food (perishable foodstuffs only) 
• frozen plant samples for plant research (including through the use of liquid nitrogen and freeze drying) 
• oils derived from vegetables or seed
• Preserved or pickled (such as in vinegar or alcohol)
• goods that have been refined or extracted to obtain specific components from plant-based raw materials. Examples include starch, lecithin, protein, cellulose, sugars and pigments.

• Seeds (all species, excluding those listed as high-risk plant products) 
• Spices (all species, excluding those listed in high-risk plant products) 
• Plant gums and resins (except those chemically extracted or highly processed) 
• Meals and flours of plant origin (all species, excluding those listed in high-risk plant products) 
• Dried fruits 
• Nuts (all species, excluding those listed in high-risk plant products) 
• Dried vegetables  
• Unprocessed plant products (excluding fresh fruits, vegetables, nursery stock, herbarium specimens, fresh cut flowers) 

The following exclusions apply:

•  goods that are thermally processed that are commercially manufactured and packaged such as retorted, blanched, roasted, fried, par-boiled, boiled, puffed, malted or pasteurised goods 

• goods that are chemically processed and preserved such as with a Formalin Propionic Acid fixative, Formalin Acetic acid alcohol, Carnoy’s fixative or ethanol. 
• fresh vegetables 
• commercially manufactured frozen or freeze-dried food (perishable foodstuffs only) 
• frozen plant samples for plant research (including through the use of liquid nitrogen and freeze drying) 
• oils derived from vegetables or seed
• Preserved or pickled (such as in vinegar or alcohol)
• goods that have been refined or extracted to obtain specific components from plant-based raw materials. Examples include starch, lecithin, protein, cellulose, sugars and pigments.