Commercial

To minimise the spread of pests and diseases into Victoria's major crop production areas, there are restrictions on the movement of certain regulated materials:

• plants
• plant products
• used packaging
• agricultural equipment
• soil.

Restrictions may apply to:

• move regulated materials into or out of declared areas within Victoria, or
• import regulated materials from another state into Victoria.

These restrictions are supported by Victorian Government plant biosecurity legislation.

Information below is provided for growers and producers, packers, wholesale receivers, distributors importers and exporters.

Victorian Businesses

Importing plants or plant products into Victoria

The movement into Victoria of plants, plant products, equipment and soil may be subject to a prohibition, or to one or more conditions. It is advisable to check with Agriculture Victoria to avoid a fine and/or the product being destroyed.

Please note that the restrictions on importing plants and plant products into Victoria apply equally to items purchased online. The availability of an item on an internet-trading site does not imply that it is legal to import it into Victoria or that importation is unrestricted. The buyer must comply with state quarantine regulations when importing online purchases.

Movement within Victoria

There are restrictions on the movement of certain plants, plant products and agricultural machinery within Victoria.

Biosecurity zones have been established in Victoria regarding the spread of certain pests and diseases:

• Phylloxera – movement of grapes, grapevine material, agricultural equipment involved with production of vines, vine plant material and soil
• Potato cyst nematode – movement of potatoes, potato plant material, agricultural equipment, and soil
• Toolangi Plant Protection District – movement of nursery plants, cut flowers, leafy vegetables, strawberry plants, rubus plants and potato tubers
• Green Snail – movement of host materials that may pose a risk in transporting this pest.
• Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus – movement of host plants that may pose a risk in transporting the virus

For further information please contact Agriculture Victoria Plant Biosecurity.

Importing from Interstate

Many plant and plant products require certification and/or verification when being imported into Victoria. It is advisable to check with Agriculture Victoria to avoid a fine and or the product being destroyed.

Certification

A Plant Health Certificate (PHC) is used by an Authorised Inspector under the Plant Biosecurity Act 2010 to certify compliance with quarantine conditions specified in the Victoria Quarantine Manual to facilitate the importation of plants and plant materials.

Refer to the Plant Quarantine Manual for details of all requirements for the movement into Victoria of plants, plant materials and related items and certification details.

Verification

Some items may need to be presented to an Authorised Inspector on arrival for checking of details such as correct certification, labelling or treatment.

Businesses may be accredited by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) under a compliance agreement to perform these checks on behalf of DEECA.

Agreements are routinely audited by Agriculture Victoria to ensure they are working effectively.

Below is a list of the current pests that have a Compliance Agreement that a business can be accredited under to verify their product on arrival.

• Fire ants – Sourcing material from within the Queensland Interstate Biosecurity Zone
• Mediterranean fruit fly – Receival of host produce from infested areas/states
• Grape Phylloxera – Receival of Diagnostic Samples from a Phylloxera Infested Area
• Potato cyst nematode – Receival of potatoes from an area infested with potato cyst nematode

Benefits

The benefits obtained by individual businesses will vary according to the type of operation and the produce covered by an arrangement. However, benefits can include:

• increased flexibility – businesses can plan operations without the need to arrange for an Agriculture Victoria inspector to be present
• improved awareness of quality issues – documented staff responsibilities and duties
• improved operational control – procedures documented
• reduced verification costs.

For further information please contact Agriculture Victoria Plant Biosecurity.

Importing from International

Please contact Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for information on the international import or export of plants and plant products.

Exporting plants or plant products

Interstate authorities may place restrictions on the movement of plants, plant products or related materials into their state.

Entry into another state may not occur unless the material is certified as having been treated or inspected in line with the quarantine conditions specified by that state.

Business are advised to check these conditions and any additional fees or charges via the websites below:

• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Western Australia

Please contact Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for information on the international import or export of plants and plant products.

Plant health certification

A Plant Health Certificate (PHC) is used to certify compliance with quarantine conditions specified by another state before movement into that state and may be issued by an Authorised Inspector to facilitate the export of plants and plant materials. A PHC may also be issued for intrastate movement where quarantine conditions apply to specific areas within Victoria.

For further information please contact Agriculture Victoria Plant Biosecurity.

Accreditations

As an alternative to getting a PHC issued by an Authorised Inspector a business may be accredited under an arrangement that allows the business to treat and certify the plant or plant materials. These arrangements allow clients to respond quickly to market demands while still meeting interstate quarantine conditions.

When a Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC) is issued by an accredited business, it is accepted as evidence of complying with the quarantine requirements for interstate and intrastate trade.

The accreditation is an agreement between a business and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). The accredited business assumes responsibility for treating and or inspecting produce and then issuing a PHAC.

These accreditations are routinely audited by Agriculture Victoria to ensure they are working effectively.

Benefits of accreditations

The benefits obtained by individual businesses will vary according to the type of operation and the produce covered by the ICA arrangement. However, benefits can include:

• increased flexibility — businesses can plan operations without the need to arrange for an Agriculture Victoria inspector to be present
• improved awareness of quality issues — documented staff responsibilities and duties
• improved operational control — procedures documented
• reduced certification costs

Options

Below is a list of the current pest/disease that have an accreditation available for Victorian businesses to treat and certify the plant or plant material and issue a PHAC.

• Queensland Fruit fly
• Blueberry Rust
• Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus
• Green Snail
• Grape Phylloxera
• Potato cyst nematode
• Aquatic pests
• Myrtle Rust
• Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
• Strawberry Runners (PS-34)
• Various pests of Nursery stock

For more information on accreditations, application forms and full text copies of procedures please contact Agriculture Victoria Plant Biosecurity.

Movement within Victoria of plants or plant products

There are restrictions on the movement of certain plants, plant products and agricultural machinery within Victoria.

Five zones have been established in Victoria to prevent the spread of certain pests and diseases:

• Phylloxera – movement of grapes, grapevine material, agricultural equipment involved with production of vines and vine material and soil
• Potato cyst nematode – movement of potatoes, potato plant material, agricultural equipment and soil
• Toolangi Plant Protection District – movement of nursery plants, cut flowers, leafy vegetables, strawberry plants, rubus plants and potato tubers
• Green Snail – movement of host materials that may pose a risk in transporting this pest.
• Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus – movement of host plants that may pose a risk in transporting the virus

For further information please contact Agriculture Victoria Plant Biosecurity.

Interstate Businesses

The movement into Victoria of plants, plant products, equipment and soil may be subject to a prohibition, or to one or more conditions. It is advisable to check with Agriculture Victoria to avoid a fine and/or the product being destroyed.

Certification

A Plant Health Certificate (PHC) or Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC) are used to certify compliance with the Victorian quarantine conditions specified by another state before movement into that state and may be issued by an Authorised Inspector to facilitate the export of plants and plant materials. These plant health certificates may also be issued for intrastate movement where quarantine conditions apply to specific areas within Victoria.

Refer to the Plant Quarantine Manual for details of all requirements for the movement into Victoria of plants, plant materials and related items and certification details.

For further information please contact Agriculture Victoria Plant Biosecurity.

International Businesses

Please contact Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for information on the international import or export of plants and plant products.

Related sites

• Domestic quarantine and market access – domestic interstate market access conditions
• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for information on international movement of plants and plant products including importing plants and plant products from other countries.
• Plant Health Australia
• National pest and disease outbreaks
• Invasive plants and a link to the movement restrictions which apply to them.
• Biosecurity Updates for businesses importing plants and plant products into Victoria from other Australian states.

Contact us

Contact the Customer Service Centre on 136 186 or email:

Northern Region

Email: plant.quarantine@agriculture.vic.gov.au

South East Region

Email: plant.standards@agriculture.vic.gov.au

South West Region

Email: plant.southwest@agriculture.vic.gov.au