Annex

The exporting National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) has responsibility to ensure the following operational procedures are implemented:

1. Goods must be produced in commercial farms*.

2. Farms and/or growers must be registered with the exporting NPPO at the beginning of each season.

   2.1. Registered farms and/or growers must apply in-field production practices as determined by the exporting NPPO and the department.

   2.2. The exporting NPPO is responsible for ensuring that growers are aware of the pests of biosecurity concern for Australia, and the mandatory pest risk management measures.

3. Packing houses must be registered with the exporting NPPO at the beginning of each season.

   3.1. The exporting NPPO is responsible for ensuring that registered packinghouses are suitably equipped and have systems in place to carry out the specified phytosanitary activities, and staff are aware of the pests of biosecurity concern for Australia, and the mandatory pest risk management measures.

4. The exporting NPPO must keep records of their audits and lists of registered entities and make these available to the department, upon request.
5. Goods must be traceable through all stages of the export supply chain including, to the farms where goods were grown, and the packinghouse where goods were packed.

6. Where applicable, treatment facilities must be registered with the exporting NPPO and approved by the department.

   6.1. The exporting NPPO is responsible for ensuring that the registered treatment providers are suitably equipped and have a system in place to carry out the treatment in accordance with required standards.

   6.2. The exporting NPPO must keep records of their audits and lists of registered treatment providers and make these available to the department, upon request.

7. Goods must be inspected by the exporting NPPO or authorised officer prior to export and found free from:

   7.1. Live pests and diseases of biosecurity concern for Australia, including regulated articles.

   7.2. Trash (e.g., stem, twig, leaf material), contaminant seeds, soil, animal matter and any other biosecurity risk material.

8. Sampling and inspection methods must be consistent with ISPM31: Methodology for sampling of consignments and provide a 95% level of confidence that infestations greater than 0.5% will be detected. For consignments equal to or great than 1000 units (a unit being a piece of fruit), this is equivalent to a 600-unit sample randomly selected across the consignment, using an inspection technique that will detect all life stages.
9. If live pests are found during pre-export inspection, they must be identified to a taxonomic classification to determine their quarantine status for Australia, or an appropriate pest management measure can be applied. If required, the exporting NPPO can contact the department to request a determination of the quarantine status of the pest.

10. If the live pest is determined to be a quarantine pest for Australia, the consignment has failed pre-export inspection. Management actions required when the consignment fails pre-export inspection include, withdrawing the consignment from export to Australia or undertaking remedial management to mitigate the risk.

    10.1. Remedial management includes activities such as applying an approved treatment to ensure the pest is no longer viable or ‘reconditioning’ to remove contaminant material.

    10.2. Remedial management is not permitted if live fruit fly is detected.

11. Failed pre-export inspection requires immediate investigation and corrective actions commensurate with the pest detected and pest risk management measure.

    11.1. Corrective actions may be applied at the orchard, packing house and/or treatment facility depending on the outcome of the investigation.

    11.2. Partial or complete suspension of trade may be required depending on the pest detected and phytosanitary measure used.

    11.3. Where area freedom is the phytosanitary measure used to manage the pest, the use of the measure must cease. Use of an alternative measure may be used subject to approval by the department before trade re-commencing.

    11.4. Where a treatment is the phytosanitary measure used to manage the pest, the relevant treatment facility must be suspended pending investigation and application of corrective actions.

    11.5. Where systems approach is the phytosanitary measure used to manage the pest, the relevant farm or facilities that apply the measures must be suspended pending outcome of investigation.

12. Only goods that are free of live quarantine pests, regulated articles and biosecurity risk material will be certified for export to Australia.
13. An original phytosanitary certificate must be issued for each consignment upon complete of pre-export inspection and treatment (if required) to certify the goods as per ISPM 12: Phytosanitary certificates.

14. Goods must be protected from pest contamination following harvest, during and after packing, storage, and movement between locations. Produce inspected and certified by the exporting NPPO must be maintained under secure conditions to prevent mixing with fruit for export to other destinations or for the domestic market.

    * The term ‘farm’ is used as a generic term for places of production with defined boundaries, which can include orchards, vineyards, greenhouses, etc