Import Conditions

Case: Fresh dragon fruit for human consumption Effective 28 Sep 2017 to 26 Oct 2017

Country of origin is Vietnam

1. The following import conditions apply to fresh dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp) for human consumption exported from Vietnam.

2. Prior to the importation of goods into Australian territory, a valid import permit issued by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is required.
   

   An import permit may be obtained by submitting an import permit application to the department (if viewed online, use the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of this page).
   

3. Prior to export, the plants or plant products must be inspected or tested by the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) and certified free from biosecurity (quarantine) pests.

4. Dragon fruit must be sourced, produced and exported from Vietnam in accordance with the relevant conditions and work plan.
   

   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on a Phytosanitary certificate:

   The additional declaration: “The fruit in this consignment have been produced in Vietnam in accordance with the conditions governing entry of fresh dragon fruit to Australia and in accordance with the Work Plan 'Export of Fresh Fruits from Vietnam to Australia' and inspected and found free of any pests of biosecurity concern to Australia."
   

5. The original phytosanitary certificate must be issued by the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department (PPD).

6. An original phytosanitary certificate must accompany each consignment and must be correctly completed, see information on the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) website.

7. Fresh dragon fruit from Vietnam must undergo mandatory pre-shipment vapour heat treatment (VHT) for forty (40) minutes at a pulp temperature of 46.5 °C or greater with relative humidity 90 per cent or above at facility approved by the relevant authority, PPD.
   

   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on a Phytosanitary certificate:

   1. Treatment details: date of treatment, temperature and duration
      

   2. Packing house/treatment facility name or registration numbers
      

   3. Number of cartons per consignment
      

   4. Container and seal number (sea freight only)
      

Related Information:

• Pest risk management measures for quarantine pests for dragon fruit from Vietnam
• Approved VHT facilities
• International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

8. For sea freight, container and seal numbers must be endorsed on the Phytosanitary certificate or on commercial documentation (e.g. Bill of Lading). If endorsed on commercial documentation, the Phytosanitary certificate number must also be referenced.

9. Any consignments with incomplete phytosanitary certification or where documentation does not align with the physical labelling, will be held pending clarification and decision by the department in consultation with PPD.

10. The goods must be free from pests and diseases. The goods must also be free from contaminants, including trash such as leaves, stem material, soil, weed seeds, splinters, twigs and other plant material with the exception of up to 1 cm dragon fruit stalk.

11. Each consignment must be secured (i.e. made insect-proof) prior to shipment to maintain its quarantine integrity on arrival using a secure packaging option.

12. The packaging must be synthetic or highly processed if of plant origin. No unprocessed plant material such as straw may be included in the packaging.

13. Individual cartons or palletised fruit must be labelled with a unique identifier to facilitate traceback. The pallets must be securely strapped.

14. The following information must be visible on each carton:

    1. Product of Vietnam for Australia
       

    2. Treatment Facility Code (TFC)
       

    3. Treatment Identification Number (TIN)
       

15. Treated product must be protected from pest contamination at all times during and after packing, treatment, storage and movement between locations. Product inspected and certified by the Vietnamese authority must be maintained under secure conditions to prevent mixing with fruit for export to other destinations or for the domestic market.

16. Containers must have been inspected by the PPD prior to loading to ensure pest freedom and that the vents are covered to prevent entry of pests.

17. All consignments are subject to Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Sampling and inspecting horticultural produce.

18. Consignments must be inspected and cleared by biosecurity officers at the first point of entry. No air or land bridging (i.e. movement of consignments by air or land within Australian territory) will be permitted until the fruit has been released from biosecurity control.

19. If live insects of biosecurity concern are detected the consignment will require treatment (where appropriate), or be exported or disposed of. Any required action will be at the importer’s expense.

20. If disease symptoms are detected the consignment will be placed on hold and an assessment of the biosecurity risk will be made by the department to determine the options available to the importer. Options may include release, further identification, treatment, export or disposal.

    Further identification may not result in the release of the goods and may incur substantial additional costs and time delays for the importer. Further identification will only be offered if it is deemed feasible and the importer agrees in writing to accept all costs and risks involved.

21. If contaminants (e.g. seeds, trash, soil, feathers) are detected and determined to be of biosecurity concern, the consignment will require remedial action to remove or treat the contaminants, and will require re-inspection. If the contaminants cannot be effectively removed or treated, the consignment must be exported or disposed of. Any required action will be at the importer's expense.

22. The department may review the import policy any time after trade begins or when the pest and phytosanitary status in Vietnam has changed.

23. Once biosecurity requirements have been met, it is the importer's responsibility to ensure that all imported food complies with the Imported Food Control Act 1992 including Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

24. Under the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Regulation 2016 and Chapter 9, Part 2 of the Biosecurity Regulation 2016, fees are payable to the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for all services. Detail on how the department applies fees and levies may be found in the charging guidelines.

25. In addition to the conditions for the goods being imported, non-commodity concerns must be assessed including container cleanliness, packaging and destination concerns, and may be subject to inspection and treatment on arrival. Please refer to the BICON Non-Commodity Cargo Clearance case for further information.