2022-41: Horticulture

Purpose

This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise industry of the upcoming closure of the 2022 winter window arrangements for the export of cucurbits to New Zealand and the registration and accreditation requirements for continuing exports of cucurbits after 1 September 2022.

Summary of changes and key points

• The winter window pathway for cucurbits to New Zealand will close on 1 September 2022.
• Any exports of cucurbits arriving in New Zealand after 1 September must follow fruit fly control management options as detailed in the New Zealand Export Plan (Export Plan).
  • This includes dimethoate dipping, fumigation and in-field controls, pest free area and irradiation. The commodities available for these pathways can be found below.
  • The New Zealand Export Plan can be found in the documents section under workplans and protocols. To access these documents, you must be a registered Micor Plant user.
• All accredited properties intending to export cucurbits to NZ must be a Pest Free Place of Production (PFPP) for Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV). Properties that were previously a PFPP for winter window do not need to apply again.
• Farms and packhouses must complete the relevant application form/s below and submit to Audit and Assurance Group by 5pm AEST, 29 July 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted.
  • Application for plant export accreditation of farms
  • Application for plant export accreditation of packhouses
• Treatment facilities, that are not already a registered establishment must submit a completed Application to register an establishment and/or approve a proposed arrangement (EX26a) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d) to the Certificate Management Group by 5pm AEST, 29 July 2022.

Fumigation and in-field controls

• Fumigation and in-field controls are available for:
  • Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

Dimethoate Dipping

• Dimethoate dipping is available for:
  • Honeydew melon (Cucumis melo)
  • Rock melon (Cucumis melo)

Irradiation

• Irradiation is available for:
  • Honeydew melon (Cucumis melo)
  • Rock melon (Cucumis melo)
  • Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)

Farms must be an accredited property for zucchinis to New Zealand for the purposes of maintaining field controls for melon thrips unless fumigation is used. Where a packhouse receives product from an accredited farm they must also be an accredited property for that commodity and country.

CGMMV PFPP requirements – Farms

• To trade, farms must be accredited as a CGMMV PFPP by the relevant state authority and register with us using the Application for registration of cucurbit growers for freedom from Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus (CGMMV).
• Currently, only Victoria (VIC), New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD) and Western Australia (WA) have systems approved to manage CGMMV PFPPs. Therefore, only farms in these states can export fresh cucurbit species to NZ.
• Farms located in VIC, NSW and WA must provide us with the PFPP certificate issued by their state as evidence for registration.
• Farms located in QLD must provide us with their ‘accredited certifier’ certificate issued by the state as evidence for registration.
• Approval is subject to an assessment against PFPP certification issued by the relevant state department confirming property freedom from CGMMV.

Accredited property responsibilities – Farms and packhouses

• Farms and packhouses intending to export after 1 September 2022 must apply for accreditation to the Audit and Assurance Group by 5pm AEST, Friday 29 July 2022, to be an accredited property under the Export Plan.
• For further information please see the Export Plan located in the ‘Documents’ section of the Manual of importing country requirements (Micor).
• Farms and packhouses must be available for audits at the frequency outlined in the table in section 12 of the Export Plan.
  Note: The department will use a combination of announced and unannounced audits as part of its assurance process.
• All other requirements in the Export Plan must be adhered to.
• Applications and requirements for accredited properties, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards, can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.

Crop monitoring responsibilities

• Crop monitors must complete the generic crop monitor course online through the Tocal College online eLearning hub by 5pm AEST, Friday 29 July 2022 to be eligible to conduct crop monitoring for cucurbits.

Treatment facility requirements

• Treatment facilities must be a registered establishment and approved for the specific country, commodity and treatment combination for protocol markets.
• Treatment facilities that are currently approved for treatment functions under their registered establishment do not need to re-apply unless they would like to vary their approval by adding or removing a treatment function (country, commodity, treatment combination). To vary their approval, they must submit the Application to vary an establishment registration and/or approved arrangement (EX26b) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d).
• Treatment facilities that are currently not approved must submit an Application to register an establishment and/or approve a proposed arrangement (EX26a) and Application for registration as a plant export registered establishment and/or associated operations and functions (EX26d) and be audited and approved by us and the importing country where required.