13 September 2000

PLANT BIOSECURITY POLICY MEMORANDUM       2000/16

GLOBAL IMPORT RISK ANALYSIS ON THE IMPORTATION OF FRESH PINEAPPLES

This Plant Biosecurity Policy Memorandum (PBPM) advises stakeholders of the commencement of a global Import Risk Analysis (IRA) on the importation of fresh pineapples.

In our PQPM of 13 March 2000 we advised you that the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) had received import access requests for pineapples from the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Sri Lanka.

As there is a need to review the existing policy for the importation of pineapples and as a number of countries have expressed interest in exporting pineapples to Australia, AFFA will consider pineapples from all sources in a global IRA.

The purpose of this letter is to notify stakeholders that a global IRA process has been initiated for pineapples as a matter of priority and to invite you to comment on the proposed approach to the risk analysis.

AFFA considers that the risk analysis on the importation of pineapples should be undertaken using the routine IRA process outlined in the ‘AQIS Import Risk Analysis Process Handbook’. This is based on consideration that this proposal does not require assessment of significantly greater or different risks than those previously examined.

We estimate that the risk analysis process will take approximately 12 - 18 months from commencement to completion using the routine process. If there are no unanticipated delays, we would expect the draft IRA paper to be released in mid 2001 using the routine IRA process. 

You are invited to comment on the proposal to conduct the IRA using the routine process. Your comments will be taken into consideration by AFFA in finalising its position on the type of process to be followed. AFFA will accept written submissions on this issue until the close of business on 16 October 2000.  Responses should be forwarded to:

Import Risk Analysis Secretariat
Plant Biosecurity Policy
Market Access & Biosecurity
Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry - Australia
GPO Box 858
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Tel: 	(02) 6272 5094
Fax:	(02) 6272 3307
Email:	plantbiosec@affa.gov.au

Subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1988, all submissions received with respect to the review will be publicly available and listed or referred to in papers or reports prepared in the review. If a request for anonymity does not accompany a submission, the respondent will be taken to have consented to the disclosure of his or her identity for the purposes of the Privacy Act. The contents of a submission will not be treated as confidential unless they are marked ‘confidential’ and they are capable of being classified as such in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. 

The IRA process, as documented in the ‘AQIS Import Risk Analysis Process Handbook’, does not provide for extensions to the formal consultation stages.

If you wish to suggest inclusion of an additional stakeholder in our distribution list for this IRA, or if you wish to be removed from the distribution list, please provide details to the Import Risk Analysis Secretariat at the above address. 

Information on all IRAs being conducted by Plant Biosecurity Policy is available on the web at http://www.aqis.gov.au/docs/plpolicy/plhome1.htm.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Brian Stynes
General Manager
Plant Biosecurity Policy

	Contact:		Import Risk Analysis Secretariat
	Telephone no: 	02 6272 5094
	Facsimile no: 	02 6272 3307
	E-mail:  		plantbiosec@affa.gov.au