Alerts

A potential new strain of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) has been detected in the Pacific, which appears to affect non-banana hosts unlike the strain of BBTV known to be present in Australia. Until more information is known about this new strain of BBTV, nursery stock of possible host families - Araceae, Heliconiaceae, Musaceae and Zingiberaceae - are not permitted entry from countries in the Pacific community.

Pacific community countries are: American Samoa, Cooks Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna.

Affected genera are:

This applies to import of nursery stock as tissue culture and in forms other than tissue culture.

Changes effective from:

These changes will take effect immediately.

Further information:

Enquiries related to these changes can be submitted via email to imports@agriculture.gov.au