Who does this notice affect?

Industry stakeholders including importers, approved arrangements, freight forwarders and brokers that deal with imported cut flowers and foliage.

What has changed?

Consignments of fresh cut flowers and foliage found to be infested with live insect pests have the option to be directed for onshore fumigation and release prior to pest identification by an entomologist, for the Christmas period (including New Years Day): Saturday 23rd December 2023 - 1st January 2024.

This arrangement includes consignments inspected on Friday 22 December 2023 where samples cannot be identified before close of business (i.e. samples delivered to the laboratory after 2:30 pm).

Exclusions

The following consignments of fresh cut flowers and foliage are excluded from the above arrangements, and must not be directed for fumigation prior to identification by an entomologist:

• Any consignments with snails or slugs.
• Any consignments with disease symptoms.
• Any consignments with suspected high priority pest.

These consignments must wait for identification during the next available business hours.

Booking overtime

To assist the department in managing resource demand during the Christmas period, the person in charge of the goods can request an overtime booking to secure an assessment of the record of fumigation and final release. Cut-off times to receive overtime bookings apply and there may be times when overtime requests are unable to be serviced.

Overtime charges will apply, as per fees specified in the Charging Guidelines.

Further information

261-2023: December 2023 / January 2024 holiday shut down operating hours

Enquiries regarding the arrangements for clearance of Fresh Cut Flowers and Foliage consignments during defined import periods can be directed to Plant Import Operations. Please include "T2 – Overtime or OT" in the subject line.