Australian quarantine authorities have decided to permit imports of Chinese apples into the country subject to various quarantine measures, much to the dismay of the local apple industry.
The quarantine measures include sourcing fruit from registered orchards within designated areas, area freedom, orchard control and surveillance, fruit bagging, pressurised air blasting of fruit prior to packing, inspection and remedial action if quarantine pests are detected.
Those steps will be supplemented by an operational system of inspections in China by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) to verify the safety of Australia-bound shipments.
The two countries will now develop a detailed work plan for the deal, and these will need to be approved by AQIS before any import permits are issued.
Meanwhile, Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) chairman Darral Ashton said he was shocked Biosecurity Australia (BA) had released its decision before major issues APAL had raised with them had been addressed.
'I had no knowledge this policy determination was going to be released today. We are on the eve of a senate standing committee on rural and regional affairs hearing on how the China apples IRA was conducted,' Mr Ashton said.
'I have written two letters to the minister for agriculture, Tony Burke, requesting an urgent meeting to discuss what we see as serious flaws in the IRA appeals process.
'The hearing and meeting should have taken place before BA released its policy determination.'
Mr Ashton was also concerned that the announcement coincided with both himself and APAL general manager Tony Russell being overseas, at the Shanghai World Expo, on a trip to promote Australian agriculture overseas.
'We did not come here to celebrate any agreements or sign any deals,' he said.
'We are feeling extremely frustrated that our genuine concerns are being dismissed by BA and the minister.'
