Amid revelations that huge volumes of Chinese food products are flooding into Australia each year to the detriment of Australian agriculture, Biosecurity Australia has identified 18 pests and diseases which would need to be treated if Chinese apples were allowed into the country.
Biosecurity Australia yesterday released its draft import risk analysis for fresh apple fruit imports from China.
The IRA identifies 18 pests that would require quarantine measures before the fruit could be allowed into Australia.
It proposes quarantine measures including recognition of pest-free areas in China, and visual inspections of Chinese fruit.
"This will be supported by an operational system to maintain and verify the quarantine status of consignments, and pre-clearance by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service," the BA website states.
Of the 18 pests in question, 16 are a risk for all parts of Australia, and the remaining two are of a specific risk to Western Australia.
The pests include Oriental fruit fly, various species of mealybugs, mites and moths, as well as Japanese apple rust, Marssonia blotch and European canker.
* The draft report is open for public comment for 60 days.
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