16 October 2023
Purpose
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) is to advise the citrus industry that applications are now open for the accreditation of packhouses to export to protocol markets for the 2024 season.
Summary of changes and key points
- Applications are now open for the accreditation of packhouses to export citrus to South Korea, China, Thailand, Japan, New Zealand and the United States for the 2024 season.
- Packhouse managers can complete the application forms online through the Citrus Australia registration system. Applications must be completed by 5pm AEDT, Tuesday 31 October 2023. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Note: All information in the application including ABNs, contact details, accredited property maps and addresses must be complete and correct or the application may not be accepted. - If your packhouse was accredited with us for exports to the above protocol markets in 2023, your details are already in the system, and you will receive an email from Citrus Australia. If you have not already received an email, please contact Citrus Australia.
- If you have not applied for accreditation in the past, please contact Citrus Australia.
Background
Countries with protocol markets have specific requirements for importing Australian produce.
Packhouses intending to export citrus to certain markets must be accredited with us prior to export.
For specific market requirements, refer to the relevant protocol and/or work plan in the 'Documents' section of the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor). To access these documents, you must register as a Micor Plants user.
Specific market accreditation requirements
Packhouses exporting to the following markets must apply for accreditation:
- South Korea (all states)
- China (all states)
- Thailand (all states)
- Japan (only packhouses located in fruit fly pest free areas (PFAs) need to be accredited. Packhouses in PFAs that are currently suspended do not need to apply for accreditation, and can export via treatment pathways)
- New Zealand (only packhouses sourcing fruit from farms located in Queensland need to be accredited)
- USA (access to this market is limited to specific production areas. Please refer to the Micor case for further information).
Note: Some markets only require accreditation in select circumstances.
Exports to all other markets do not require accreditation.
Packhouse responsibilities
- Packhouses must apply for accreditation annually.
- If your packhouse was accredited in 2023, your details are already in the Citrus Australia online system. If you wish to change any details, do not delete your existing details. Please contact Citrus Australia to make amendments to existing details. Deleting properties may result in new accredited property numbers being assigned, which may impact access to protocol markets.
- Packhouses must be available for audits by us, to ensure compliance with the protocol and our requirements. Some entities may be audited by the importing country.
- Audits will occur either pre-season and/or in-season (during harvest). Any packhouse that was not accredited during the 2023 season will be audited pre-season.
- Accreditation and/or continuation of accreditation will be reliant on audit outcomes.
Note: We may use a combination of announced and unannounced audits as part of our assurance process.
- Applicants will be advised of the audit outcome, and accreditation number/s will be provided.
- We can only accredit an entity for export if all protocol requirements are met.
- Packhouse managers must be aware of all growers that have nominated to pack at their packhouse at time of audit.
- Requirements for accredited properties, including management guidelines, audit guidelines and performance standards can be found on the Plant Export Operations Manual.
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding applying for accreditation, please email Citrus Australia.
If you have any questions regarding this IAN, please email the Horticulture Exports Program.
Rossana Carr
Acting Assistant Secretary
Plant Export Operations Branch