US stonefruit exports to Australia are finally set to get under way after long-awaited clearance was received on Friday (19 July).
While an import protocol was released by Biosecurity Australia at the start of May, import permits had not yet been granted.
Industry sources had identified 1 July as a likely issue date, but this passed without the anticipated confirmation, leaving importers holding out for clearance.
The approval for stonefruit imports is currently limited to peaches and nectarines, but is nevertheless expected to trigger an instant response from the industry. Produce Marketing Australia’s chief executive John Baker suggested fruit may arrive towards the end of July.
“This is a major learning exercise for the industry, so the earlier they can start, the better,” Baker told Produce Plus. “They’ll have to sort out which types and varieties can handle the fumigation protocol and the costs of the fumigation and airfreight, particularly with the weaker dollar. At the moment, we are unsure what the retail price will be.”
The one significant hurdle to commencing imports immediately is concerns regarding inspection of the fruit on arrival, with industry officials currently lobbying for product to be inspected and cleared before shipment.
“It would be much better for the industry to secure pre-clearance as the risk and expense is so much lower,” explained Baker. “If officials opt for pre-clearance, however, this will slow things down as they will have to appoint an inspector in the US to pre-approve the fruit.”
Although the categories of stonefruit permitted are confined to peaches and nectarines right now, approval has been granted for imports from the Pacific Northwest as well as California, which was a surprise to the industry. However, import volumes from this region are currently uncertain given the smaller size of the stonefruit industry there.
