|
Registration of Controlled Atmosphere Treatment Providers under the
AusTreat Scheme
Australia
currently has emergency measures in place to address the risk of khapra
beetle (Trogoderma granarium)
entering the country. This includes mandatory pre-border treatment of high-risk plant products
(such as rice, beans, lentils etc.) packed in khapra beetle target-risk countries.
Australia
is implementing a change to how Controlled Atmosphere (CA) treatments at
atmospheric pressure are managed.
From
30 October 2025, Australia will
only accept CA treatments at atmospheric pressure conducted by treatment providers approved under AusTreat,
Australia's pre-border treatment provider scheme. Approved treatment
providers will be publicly listed on the List of Treatment Providers
on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) website.
This
change will affect a small number of treatment providers currently approved
to conduct CA treatments outside the AusTreat scheme, as well as new
providers seeking to undertake CA treatment at atmospheric pressure for Australian imports.
Australia's
import permit conditions will be updated on 30 October 2025. The additional declaration required on the phytosanitary certificate will be
updated as follows:
"The goods were treated with controlled atmosphere
in accordance with Australia's Controlled Atmosphere
Treatment Methodology by
an approved provider of that treatment in Australia's List of Treatment
Providers, as per
the attached treatment certificate [insert treatment certificate number]."
Note:
This
change does not apply to khapra
beetle treatments using Controlled
Atmosphere at altered pressure, methyl bromide fumigation, or heat treatment.
For these treatment types, use of a treatment provider registered
under a pre-border treatment provider scheme is not currently mandatory. These treatment providers should
continue to follow existing import requirements. However, we strongly
encourage eligible treatment providers to register under AusTreat, as the
AusTreat framework will be progressively expanded to include these treatments
in the future.
Treatment provider registration
Treatment
providers can register for AusTreat now,
ahead of this requirement taking effect on 30 October 2025.
Treatment
providers seeking to be approved by 30 October 2025, must submit their
applications by 15 October 2025 to allow sufficient processing time by DAFF.
Treatment
providers are required to submit the 'AusTreat
registration application form' and
'Controlled atmosphere
(atmospheric pressure) treatment form'. These forms are available
on the following webpage: AusTreat pre-border biosecurity treatment
provider scheme - DAFF
Further information
For
further information, please contact Plant Import Operations team at DAFF via
email at imports@aff.gov.au (Please title the
subject line of the email with "Plant T2 – Khapra urgent actions").
|