This import risk analysis has assessed a proposal from India for market access to Australia for fresh mango fruit.
Australia has existing quarantine policy that allows the importation of mangoes from Haiti, Mexico, the Philippines (Guimaras Island) and Taiwan, subject to specific quarantine conditions.
This report recommends that the importation of fresh mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.) to Australia from India be permitted, subject to specific quarantine conditions.
The report takes account of stakeholders’ comments and submissions on the 2004 draft report.
In October 2006, India requested that Australia consider irradiation as a quarantine measure for fresh mango fruit. In view of this, quarantine measures that were proposed in the 2004 draft report, including vapour heat treatment, hot water treatment and pest free areas, have not been considered further.
The report identifies fruit flies, mealybugs, red-banded mango caterpillar and mango weevils as pests that require quarantine measures to manage risks to a very low level in order to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP). The existing commercial production practice of a post-harvest fungicidal dip, as advised by India to support its market access application, is an underlying requirement for export to Australia.
The recommended quarantine measures are pre-export irradiation treatment at 400 Gray, supported by an operational system to maintain and verify quarantine status. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service will be present to pre-clear and verify irradiation treatment of mangoes prior to export.
Three pests, mango seed weevil and two mealybug species, which are present in eastern Australia, have been identified as quarantine pests for Western Australia only. The recommended quarantine measures take account of these regional differences for Western Australia.
1. Introduction 1.1. Australia’s biosecurity policy framework
Australia's biosecurity policies aim to protect Australia against the risks that may arise from exotic pests1 entering, establishing and spreading in Australia, thereby threatening Australia's unique flora and fauna, as well as those agricultural industries that are relatively free from serious pests.
The import risk analysis (IRA) process is an important part of Australia's biosecurity policies. It enables the Australian Government to consider formally the risks that could be associated with proposals to import new products into Australia. If the risks are found not to achieve Australia’s appropriate level of protection (ALOP), risk management measures are proposed to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. But, if it is not possible to reduce the risks to an acceptable level, then no trade will be allowed.
Successive Australian Governments have maintained a conservative, but not a zero-risk, approach to the management of biosecurity risks. This approach is expressed in terms of Australia's ALOP, which reflects community expectations through government policy and is currently described as providing a high level of protection aimed at reducing risk to a very low level, but not to zero.
Australia’s IRAs are undertaken by Biosecurity Australia using teams of technical and scientific experts in relevant fields, and involving consultation with stakeholders at various stages during the process. The recommendations from Biosecurity Australia are provided to the Director of Animal and Plant Quarantine (the Secretary of the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), who is responsible for determining whether or not an importation can be permitted under the Quarantine Act 1908, and if so, under what conditions. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) are responsible for implementing the import protocol, including any risk management measures.
More information about Australia’s biosecurity framework is provided in Appendix C of this report and in the Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007 located on the Biosecurity Australia website www.biosecurityaustralia.gov.au.
1.2. This import risk analysis
Prior to 1996, India exported fresh mango fruit to Australia with a mandatory on-arrival fumigation treatment using ethylene dibromide (EDB). Imports of fresh mango fruit from India were suspended in 1996 as a result of the global phase-out of the use of EDB on the basis of concerns for worker health and safety. Following the EDB phase-out, India was requested to propose equivalent measures and provide appropriate efficacy data.
In 2000, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of India provided an import proposal for fresh mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.) to Australia. A comprehensive pest list was included with this request.
In 2002 and 2003, India provided supporting information on production practices and additional pests associated with fresh mango fruit in India. India’s existing commercial production practices were observed by officers from both Biosecurity Australia and AQIS in April 2003.
On 12 September 2003, Biosecurity Australia advised stakeholders in Biosecurity Australia Policy Memorandum 2003/27 that the pest risk analysis on fresh mango fruit from India would be progressed as a review of existing policy. A draft policy report was issued in July 2004 for stakeholder comment.
The draft report proposed vapour heat treatment or hot water treatment for fruit flies and the use of designated ‘pest free areas’ for mango weevils, as requested by India at that time. Visual inspection and remedial action were also proposed for the red-banded caterpillar, mealybugs and scale insects.
1.2.2. Scope
This Report assesses the biosecurity risks associated with fresh mango fruit from India and recommends quarantine measures for identified risks. Details of the production processes for this fruit in India are set out in section 3.
In October 2006, India requested that Australia consider irradiation as a quarantine measure for fresh mango fruit. In view of this circumstance, quarantine measures proposed in the 2004 draft report, including vapour heat treatment, hot water treatment and pest free areas, have not been further considered for fresh mango fruit from India.
Due to India’s request to consider irradiation, differences between the draft report and this Report are referred to in Section 5 and annotated in the Report.
1.2.3. Existing policy
Australia has existing policy for fresh mango fruit from a number of countries including Haiti, Mexico, the Philippines (Guimaras Island) and Taiwan. The pest risk analysis for fresh mango fruit from Taiwan was completed in August 2006. Existing policies for a number of pests of fresh mango fruit have now been included in this Report, where appropriate.
1.2.4. Transition into the regulated process
The Australian Government announced improvements to the IRA process on 18 October 2006. The new process applies to all IRA’s announced by Biosecurity Australia on or after the commencement of the Quarantine Amendment Regulations 2007 (No.1) on 5 September 2007.
On 12 September 2007, Biosecurity Australia announced in Biosecurity Australia Policy Memorandum (BAPM) 2007/20 the transitional arrangements for its current import proposal work program. In the memorandum, stakeholders were advised that the import proposal for fresh mango fruit from India would be finalised under the regulated IRA process. It also advised that previous work or comparable steps already completed would not be repeated under the regulated process.
On 19 March 2008, Biosecurity Australia announced in Biosecurity Australia Advice (BAA) 2008/9 the formal commencement of an IRA under the regulated process to consider the proposal to import fresh mango fruit from India. It also advised that the analysis would be undertaken as a standard IRA requiring completion within 24 months. The IRA process is described in the Import Risk Analysis Handbook 2007.
Stakeholders were also advised that although the regulations allow a timeframe of 24 months to complete a standard IRA, in view of the significant body of work already undertaken, a provisional final IRA report was expected to be released by 30 June 2008.
1.2.5. Contaminating pests
In addition to the pests of fresh mango in India identified in the Report, there are other organisms that may arrive with the fruit. These organisms could include pests of other crops or predators and parasitoids of other arthropods. Biosecurity Australia considers these organisms to be contaminating pests that could pose sanitary and phytosanitary risks. These risks are addressed by standard operating procedures.
1.2.6. Consultation
In July 2004, Biosecurity Australia released a draft revised import policy report for stakeholder consideration containing pest risk assessments for the quarantine pests associated with fresh mango fruit from India (DAFF 2004). Comments were received from three stakeholders and incorporated into this report where appropriate. Australia has consulted with domestic and international stakeholders in preparing the final IRA report.
| 
Yüklə 1.63 Mb.