Changes

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has amended the import conditions for mango nursery stock, following a departmental review to ensure they are current and best able to protect Australian agriculture from new and emerging plant pests and diseases. Invertebrate pests and fungal pathogens were not included in this review but will be considered in future reviews of the import pathway.

In line with the review recommendations, import conditions have been updated as follows:

1. An additional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test requirement has been added to address the risk associated with Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris, which has been identified as a quarantine pathogen associated with imported mango nursery stock.
2. The requirement to test mango tissue culture for Fusarium spp. associated with Mango malformation disease using fungal culturing has been removed, as the department considers that Fusarium spp. are unlikely to be present on imported tissue culture.
3. The required phytosanitary certificate declaration for budwood has been updated to align with other nursery stock cases. The phytosanitary certificate will now only require the following declaration: “This is to certify that the plants, plant products or other regulated articles described herein have been inspected and/or tested according to appropriate official procedures and are considered to be free from the quarantine pests specified by the importing contracting party and to conform with the current phytosanitary requirements of the importing contracting party, including those for regulated non-quarantine pests.”
4. The permitted form of mango budwood is now clarified to be 'defoliated budwood'.

The list of pathogens of biosecurity concern associated with mango nursery stock is now available in the ‘Appendices’ section of the BICON case.

Who does this notice affect:
Importers of Mangifera nursery stock, brokers and department staff.

Import permits:
Affected import permits will be varied to reflect the changes, at no cost to permit holders. The department will contact affected permit holders regarding these variations.

Background:
Australia has a strong biosecurity system in place to prevent the entry and establishment of pests and diseases that could threaten our agricultural industries, economy, and environment. As part of this system, imported high-risk nursery stock must undergo rigorous testing for pathogens of biosecurity concern at the department’s PEQ facility in Mickleham, Victoria.

The department is conducting reviews of high-risk nursery stock policy and conditions, funded through the Accelerating Horticulture Market Access program (AHMA) established under the ‘Enhancing Australia’s Agriculture’s Trade’ measure within the Australian government’s 2019–20 budget. AHMA supports further development of an internationally competitive and profitable horticulture sector and aims to improve access to clean plant genetics and propagative material as critical business inputs for the sector.

Further information:
Please contact Plant Import Operations on 1800 900 090 or by email imports@aff.gov.au (please title the subject line of the email with ‘Plant T2 – Mango nursery stock).