Back in February we reported on New Quarantine Measures for Flower Imports (see Here), detailing the latest certification and inspection requirement for cut flowers and foliage by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR).
Under the new conditions, consignments arriving in Australia with live pests are secured until the pest is identified by an entomologist. Over the past two months significant additional data has been collected enabling DAWR to monitor compliance with the new conditions.
These stronger biosecurity measures have resulted in delays for contaminated consignments arriving at weekends. The recent trial of weekend diagnostic services for cut flowers in Sydney has ceased and will not be reinstated at this time. Consignments found to be infested with live pests will continue to be held pending identification by an entomologist with the following exception:
– In the lead up to Mother’s Day 2018 i.e. for the weekends 28-29th April and 5-6th May, consignments found to be infested with insect pests will be directed for onshore fumigation prior to identification by an entomologist.
– Consignments containing flowers from suppliers where National Priority Plant Pests have been previously detected will be held until diagnostic results have been finalised.
The above arrangements including the future provision of weekend services will be reviewed before the end of June 2018 and the outcome communicated to importers and their Customs Brokers.
DAWR is currently reviewing the compliance of consignments imported under the new conditions. They are aiming to reduce the rate of non-compliance due to the presence of live quarantine pests to a maximum of 10% at the consignment level for each country. This will eventually reduce the incidence of pests arriving in cut flowers and foliage and the need for onshore remedial fumigation should also reduce, allowing an expedited release process from the ports of arrival.
While there has been some improvement from countries applying offshore treatments, DAWR is yet to see an improvement from several key trading partners using systems approaches, which is of significant concern.
