Volume 9: Commodity Inspections Horticulture

Vol 9: Commodity Inspections - Horticulture

Volume 9: Commodity Inspections

Horticulture

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Contents

Introduction

Legislation and Related Documents

Reference and Instructional Material

Documentation

Booking Information

Export Establishment

Importing Country Requirement

Inspection Area

Trade Description

Product standards and trade descriptions for dried fruits

Packaging standards and trade descriptions for fresh fruits and fresh vegetables

General requirements for packaging

Records of dates of packaging

Fruit, vegetables and dried fruit not fit for human consumption

Inspection and Sampling of Consignment

Recording Inspection Results

Inspection Equipment Checklist

General Notes Regarding Sampling

Sampling Rate – Fresh Fruit and Vegetable

Punnets

Bins

Mixed Consignments

Targeting

Selecting the Sample

In-Line Sampling

Sampling Rate - Cut Flowers, Foliage, Tissue Culture, Plants, Cuttings and Advanced Nursery Stock

Bulbs, Corms, Tubers

Advice Regarding Inspection of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Advice Regarding Inspection of Plants and Plant Products

Advice Regarding Inspection of Plants and Cuttings

Advice Regarding Inspection of Advanced Nursery Stock

Advice Regarding Inspection of Tissue Culture

Advice Regarding Inspection of Bulbs, Corms and Tubers

Advice Regarding Inspection of Dried Fruits

Re-Exports from Australia

Rejection

Re-Conditioning and Re-Inspection

Pests and Diseases

Introduction

This volume outlines the overarching phytosanitary principles for sampling and inspection of prescribed goods under the existing legislation framework. The procedures described in this document apply when an authorised officer is drawing samples and inspecting prescribed goods for the purpose of phytosanitary inspection and provision of export certification.

For the purposes of this document prescribed goods include:

Fresh fruits and vegetables
Dried fruit
Other prescribed goods: cut flowers, foliage and nursery stock for which a Phytosanitary certificate is required by an importing country.

Sampling and inspection of prescribed goods must be carried out at a registered establishment by an authorised officer. Individuals undertaking these activities must be suitably qualified, have relevant approval, authorisation and delegations necessary to inspect prescribed goods prepared for export.

Legislation and related documents

The Export Control Act 1982 and subordinate legislation provides the legal authority under which AQIS regulates the export of prescribed goods.

The Export Control Act 1982 and its subordinate legislation – Export Control (Prescribed Goods – General) Orders 2005; Export Control (Plant and Plant Products) Orders 2011; Export Control (Fees) Orders 2001, are all accessible via the ComLaw website at:

The legislation together with the Plant Export Operations Manual outlines the conditions and requirements for the export of Prescribed Goods.

There are different commodities outlined in the legislation and an example can be any of the following:

Prescribed Goods

Export Control (Plant and Plant Product) Orders 2011

Fresh Fruit and vegetables
Dried Fruit
Plant and Plant Products

Goods other than Prescribed Goods (Non Prescribed Goods)

Export Control (Prescribed Goods-General) Orders, Part8, Section 8.05

Non prescribed goods are goods that are not outlined under the legislation as being a prescribed good. There is provision for Non-Prescribed to be exported with a Government Certificate which is outlined in the Export Control (Prescribed Goods-General) Orders under Order 8.05.
An example of a Non Prescribed Good is frozen capsicum and processed goods.

Prohibited goods

Export Control (Prescribed Goods-General) Orders, Part 2, Order 5&6

Export Control Act 1982, Sub Clause 7

Goods that the importing country has refused entry and there is no market access. An example is watermelon is a prohibited import into French Polynesia.

Goods to which the Orders do not apply

Export Control (Prescribed Goods-General) Orders, Part2, Section 2.01 & 2.02

Goods that are imported into Australia and re-exported in the same covering and under the same trade description as the covering and trade description in or under which they were imported.

Goods which are exempt under the Orders

Export Control (Prescribed Goods-General) Orders, Part3, Section 3.01, 3.02 & 3.03

Goods for which an exemption has been sought.

Reference and Instructional Material

Work Instructions: The work instructions will give the AAO a quick guide to complete a specific activity. These can be access via the downloadable resources link.
Work Plans: The work Plans are detailed work instructions for products that are to be inspected for a specific country and are derived from a specific protocol.
Bi-Lateral Quarantine Arrangement: The Bi-Lateral Quarantine Arrangement Systems Operation Manual (BQASOM) is a document outlining the condition for the import of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand.
Product Identification, Pests and Diseases: A reference library has been developed to assist the authorised officer with identifying a commodity and the pests and diseases associated with goods that an AAO will be inspecting.

Documentation

Prior to commencing sampling, ensure that you have a copy of all export documents and information associated with the consignment/lot. This must include importing country requirements. Use of technical reference material e.g. pest information is strongly recommended.

Authorised officers will ensure that documentation is correctly filled out, including Additional Declarations where required.

Required documentation needed prior to conducting an inspection includes the following:

Notice Of Intention (where appropriate) or RFP
Import permit/MICoR database print out
Phytosanitary certificates
Treatment certificates
Inspection worksheets
Records of any rejections and treatment certificates of goods
Transfer certificate
Inspection advice
Pest free area statements from state departments of Primary industries
Export Delegate inspection records (BQA)
Evidence of Grower Registration if applicable
Evidence of Pack house Registration if applicable
Any other government certificate

Note that all these records may not be applicable for an inspection.

Booking information

Authorised officers will be requested by an exporter to complete a phytosanitary inspection. Refer to the appointment/booking sheet for client details and ensure the following information is presented:

Inspection location

Date and time for the inspection
Name of the exporter and/or freight forwarder
Contact name and phone number
Commodity name(s)
Destination country
Documentation required meeting importing country requirements
Details of the consignment such as the number of cartons, trays and/or weight total
Booking reference number (if applicable)
This information may be in the form of a Notice of Intention to Export (Ex28) or a Request for Permit (RFP).

Export establishment

The authorised officer will need to confirm that the establishment the inspection is to be conducted at is export registered. The establishment must also be registered for the commodity that will be inspected.

Importing country requirement

The authorised officer must be aware of the specific importing country authority requirements for the consignment to be inspected; that is, whether treatment certificates are required or additional declarations needed or there are specific objects of quarantine concern.

This information is found in overseas country import permits, the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR) database and Work plans/Manuals where applicable. Valid import permits override conditions contained in the MICoR database (and/or Workplans) and where these differ, the AQIS MICoR Administrator must be supplied with a copy of the import permit ().

Inspection area

The authorised officer will ensure the area to be used for the phytosanitary inspection is clean, correctly lit, and free of pests and sources of cross contamination.

The inspection table must have a clean surface that is adequate to perform the inspection as well as an inspection tray. This must be thoroughly cleaned prior to commencing the inspection.

For advanced nursery stock inspected outdoors, the authorised officer should ensure the surrounding area is clean and free of long grass and weeds and preferably presented in a sheltered area. Surface should be concrete or gravelled.

Note: Minimum lighting standard (natural or artificial) is to be the equivalent of 600 lux or as guide 3 standard fluorescent lights at 1.2 metres above the inspection table surface. For advanced nursery stock inspected in a shed or building, there must be suitable natural or artificial light.

The authorised officer will ensure there is adequate access to all packed goods so as to be able to draw samples in a safe manner from the whole of the lot/consignment.

Note:

Where an end point inspection is to be conducted the inspection will not commence until the entire lot/consignment is available before commencing sampling and inspection.
Where an in line inspection is to be conducted the authorised officer will determine the number of units to form the lot/consignment before commencing sampling and inspection.

Trade description

When a trade description is applied to prescribed goods, the export of those goods is prohibited unless that trade description is adequate and accurate.

For the purposes of meeting legislative requirements, a trade description applied to goods is taken to be adequate if it:

Contains sufficient information to enable the goods to be readily identified; and
Is not ambiguous or unclear; and
Satisfies any particular requirements under these Orders relating to the application of trade descriptions.

A trade description applied to goods is taken to be accurate if it correctly describes the goods.

The trade description applied to horticulture produce (other than nursery stock and cut flowers) must contain sufficient information to enable importing country authorities to clear the goods and must set out in prominent and legible characters:

The net contents; and
The date of packaging or processing; and
The country of origin shown as:
‘PRODUCT OF AUSTRALIA’; or
‘PRODUCE OF AUSTRALIA’; or
‘AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT’; or
‘PRODUCED IN AUSTRALIA’; or
‘MADE IN AUSTRALIA’; or
‘AUSTRALIAN’ conjoined with the name of the goods; or
Such other captions that clearly indicate Australia as the country where the goods originated or last underwent preparation that changed their nature
The number allotted to the registered establishment in which processing last occurred
The name and address of the manufacturer, producer, exporter or consignee; and
Any other information specified in the Orders in relation to the goods.

Product standards and trade descriptions for dried fruits

In addition to complying with other applicable requirements of this Part, dried fruits must conform with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Packaging standards and trade descriptions for fresh fruits and fresh vegetables

In addition to complying with other applicable requirements of this Part, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables must comply with the requirements of Schedule 4.

General requirements for packaging

Materials to be used as packaging materials for prescribed goods and other materials applied to prescribed goods at the time of packaging:

Preferably must not have been previously used or, if previously used and intended for repeated use, must have been cleaned and reconditioned to the satisfaction of an authorised officer; and
Must be used in a manner that is unlikely to place the acceptability of the prescribed goods at risk; and
Must be sufficiently strong to withstand the handling ordinarily incurred by the materials during transit to the final destination; and
Must be otherwise appropriate to the goods.

Records of dates of packaging

If prescribed goods originate from different registered establishments and are repacked at another registered establishment, the occupier of that other registered establishment must maintain a record of:

The packing dates; and
The establishments at which the goods were originally packed.

Fruit, vegetables and dried fruit not fit for human consumption

Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and dried fruits that are not fit for human consumption must be clearly marked as not fit for human consumption.

Inspection and sampling of consignment

An inspection lot will normally consist of the total number of units making up the consignment (as certified on the EX28 or RFP). Exporters can decide to subdivide the consignment into a number of lots (not necessarily of equal sizes).

Some reasons for deciding to subdivide may include:

Different growers
Different post-harvest treatments including chemical treatments
Problems with a particular species
Climatic or seasonal conditions which may encourage pest or disease development
Different species or varieties.

Where a consignment is subdivided, each lot must be clearly identified. Each lot must be sampled and recorded on separate Phytosanitary Inspection Records.

An authorised officer may be required to conduct inspections on protocol products which require a Work Plan to provide the officer with sufficient information to complete the inspection.The inspection technique is similar to that previously explained.

Recording inspection results

Inspection details are recorded on the Phytosanitary Inspection Record. Use one record for each consignment or for each lot inspected. It is compulsory for officers to use the form as a minimum. The exception to this rule is where a special inspection record is necessary for a protocol country.

Authorised officers may add specific commodity additional information columns such as calyces removed (citrus). They may also add additional horizontal lines where this is required e.g. for table grapes, or mixed consignments where more than one page is needed. Some regions record invoice numbers, customer reference, travel charge hours and this is optional – check with your Regional Plant Exports Program Manager.

Inspection equipment checklist

Inspection bench with a clean white top in a well-lit location (at least 600 lux) supplied by establishment
Waste bin and lid supplied by establishment
Knife
Hand lens x10 magnification or more
Small painters brush
Vials for arthropod specimens with white vinegar or alcohol
Sealable plastic bags for larger specimens
Labels for specimens
Phytosanitary Inspection Record forms
Rejection forms
Pen and spare pen.

General notes regarding sampling

The entire consignment/lot must be made available in the one place at the one time for the authorised officer to select the sample. Only produce available at one place at the one time will be sampled.

Authorised officers are to draw samples from any part of the consignment/lot and pallets will sometimes need to be moved to provide access for sampling purposes.

Before samples are removed, check that trade description requirements have been met and that the goods are in clean new packages. The trade description may be applied as pallet labels where it is clear that single types of products are unitised.

Do not proceed with inspection if the consignment/lot does not comply. Authorised officers complete a rejection form EX 161 when the consignment does not comply.

Ensure the overall condition and exterior of the consignment/lot is homogenous and that trade description requirements have been met. When the entire consignment/lot is assembled access must be available on at least 2 sides of pallets for sampling.

The contents of the entire consignment/lot should match the details as per export documentation. It may sometimes be necessary to count packages if quantities are not obvious and only require a break down into the pallet if in doubt or access to particular samples is needed.

Ensure the phytosanitary integrity of the product has been maintained as appropriate – refer to Work Instruction "Security and Movement of Horticultural Produce".

It is important to ensure that a random sample (as far as is practical within the general guidelines listed below) is taken from packages/cartons/punnets/trays/bags etc across the entire consignment, with the only exception covered under Mixed Consignments.

All packers and as many growers in the consignment as possible should be covered in the sample selection.

Take samples from different layers of pallets e.g. first sample, top layer; second sample, second layer; third sample, third layer; fourth sample top layer; fifth sample, second layer and so on. Authorised officers may, at any time, take samples from other parts of the pallets if they have reason to do so e.g. for consignments/lots that are of mixed product.

If a consignment/lot contains more than one variety of the same type of fruit or vegetable (i.e. navelina/leng/chislett = oranges) then the sample should be spread proportionally across the entire consignment.

Determine the number of packages to be selected from the consignment to make up the required sample size. Clearly identify the selected sample packages through any means acceptable to the owner of the fruit. This could be achieved through removal of packages or turning packages or discrete marks or discrete stickers.