Changes

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has revised the post-entry quarantine (PEQ) requirements for Actinidia spp. imported as budwood and tissue culture for use as nursery stock. These revisions are being introduced based on a departmental review to ensure that import conditions continue to be fit-for-purpose in managing new and emerging biosecurity risks.

These revisions include:

1. An updated list of quarantine pests associated with Actinidia nursery stock. The updated pest list can be found within the BICON case.
2. An updated PEQ screening and testing program to detect the presence of newly identified quarantine pests of Actinida nusery stock:

• Consequently, four additional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are now required to screen imported plant material for the presence of the above quarantine viruses.
• The two new bacterial pathogens, Agrobacterium fabacearum and Pectobacterium actinidiae will be detected through regular visual disease screening throughout the PEQ period.

Consistent with previous conditions, imported Actinidia spp. nursery stock will continue to be tested for the presence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, Cherry leaf roll virus and Ceratocystis spp.

The minimum quarantine period at the Commonwealth PEQ facility in Mickleham, Victoria will remain at six months for tissue cultures and 12 months for budwood.

In line with the department’s standard operating procedures, additional testing may be required if disease symptoms are detected or if suspect pathogens are found, at the importer’s expense.

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.

Who does this affect:
Importers of Actinidia spp. for use as nursery stock, brokers, and department staff.

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 has completed 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 supported the further development of an internationally competitive and profitable horticulture sector and aimed 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 email imports@aff.gov.au.