Changes

Phytosanitary certification requirements have been amended for Phoenix dactylifera tissue cultures that are produced and exported by the department-approved high health source, Date Palm Developments in the United Kingdom.

Effective immediately, consignments of Phoenix dactylifera tissue cultures exported from this approved source must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate bearing an additional declaration, stating that the tissue cultures were derived from plants and tissue cultures that were grown only in countries free from Coconut tinangaja viroid.

All other import conditions will continue to apply.

Import permits:
The department will contact affected permit holders to initiate variations to permit conditions. Variations will occur at no cost to importers.

Who does this notice affect:
Importers of nursery stock, customs brokers and departmental staff.

Background:
Palms are a large group of diverse plants that are widely cultivated and are a dominant part of native ecosystems in the tropics and subtropics. In Australia they are significant as native flora and amenity trees.

There are several serious exotic pathogens of palms, and as a result, strict conditions are in place to regulate the importation of palm nursery stock into Australia. One of these quarantine pathogens, Coconut tinangaja viroid, is genetically closely related to Cadang-cadang viroid (another major quarantine pest of palms) and responsible for the death of coconut palms. Risk management measures are therefore being introduced to reduce this biosecurity risk to an acceptable level.

Further information:
Contact Plant Import Operations at imports@aff.gov.au or phone 1800 900 090.