Host / Commodity

Lettuce

The information within this Import Condition was current as of the date of printing: Wednesday, 3 July 2024.

New entry conditions or amendments may be implemented from time to time and are uploaded into the Plant Quarantine Manual.

It is recommended that you regularly check the http://www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/pqm website for the most up to date import conditions.

Relevant Pests / Diseases

  • GS - Green Snail
  • SW - Spiralling Whitefly
  • RIFA - Fire Ant
  • EA - Electric Ant
  • NW - Noxious Weeds
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Conditions

Condition 0 - Verification, Packaging and Labelling

General Procedures

Specific plants, plant products and other pest and disease host materials are prohibited entry into Victoria unless accompanied by a Plant Health Certificate (PHC) or Plant Health Assurance Certificate (PHAC) certifying compliance with relevant conditions of entry (see individual conditions).  Commodities, which are not prohibited and are hosts of a specified pest or disease may enter Victoria without certification in relation to that pest or disease if sourced from an area of another state or territory covered by an area freedom certificate.

Area Freedom

Unless prohibited any host material, agricultural equipment or used package may enter any part of Victoria without restriction if an Area Freedom Certificate certifying that the State or Territory, or any part of the State or Territory where the host material, agricultural equipment or used package was grown, packed, sourced or last used, is known to be free from a specified pest or disease.

Note:  Any notification or advice of an outbreak of a pest or disease is taken to be an amendment to the relevant Area Freedom Certificate.  In these cases, host material may no longer be accepted under area freedom.

Verification

An importer may be required to present host commodities and accompanying certification for verification by an inspector or a person accredited by the department to verify the material and certification.

Packaging

Packages of all fruit, vegetables or nuts must be clean to touch and free of extraneous visible matter and objectionable odour and in good repair.

Labelling

Packages containing any fruit, vegetable or nut must be legibly marked with the following:

  1. the kind of fruit, vegetable or nut (name of commodity); and
  2. in the case of prescribed fruit, vegetables or nuts*-
    1. the name and postcode of the city or town nearest to the locality where they were grown, or
    2. an approved code indicating the location of packing or production; and
  3. in the case of a commodity certified under an accreditation (e.g. ICA Scheme), information as required by the specific Procedure.

*details of prescribed fruit, vegetables and nuts are provided in the Plant Biosecurity Regulations 2016.

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Condition 23A - Green Snail: Properties between 2km and 25km of an infestation

Any plant in tissue culture or plant originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from green snail may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise-

the entry or importation into Victoria of any host plant which have been grown or packed on a property within 25 km of an infestation of green snail but more than 2km from a green snail infested property is prohibited unless certified that:

  1. the host plant has been grown or packed on a property which:
    1. has been baited and inspected from 1 April to 30 November (inclusive), for at least 3 months before importation using an APVMA approved molluscicide for the control of green snail in accordance with all APVMA label directions and permit conditions, and
    2. the baits are laid on the property, in a continuous strip, on a 3 m wide vegetation-free strip inside the perimeter of the property and transects through the property on a grid pattern with distances between the strips of:
      1. 100 m for properties up to 5 ha provided that there is at least two transects running through the centre of the property at right angles; or
      2. 200 m for properties between 5 and 10 ha; or
      3. 300 m for properties greater than 10 ha; and
  2. inspected by an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the state or territory in which the property is located, along bait trails 3 to 10 days after baits were laid and found free of green snail; and
  3. if grown in a propagating/potting media which has a soil component, the media must:
    1. originate from, and be stored on, properties which have been baited and inspected and found free of green snails, in accordance with the baiting requirements above (1); or
    2. be disinfested with one of the following treatments:
      1. methyl bromide fumigation 0.6 kg/m3 for 72 hours on an impervious floor with the material laid or packed no more than 660 mm deep during fumigation, or
      2. a steam and air mix at a temperature of 60° C for 30 minutes, or
      3. fumigation with a chemical containing 940 g/kg dazomet in accordance with all APVMA label directions and permit conditions; or
  4. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page; or
  5. in the case of small lots of household potted plants, all plants must be:
    1. bare-rooted so as to be visually free of soil and potting media; or
    2. re‐potted into new commercially available potting media under the supervision of an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the state or territory in which the material has been grown; and
    3. inspected by an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the state or territory and found free of:
      1. green snail and
      2. earth material.

‘host material' means any host plant and any used package which has contained any host plants.

‘host plant' means any plant or plant product, including any leafy vegetable, cutting, potted plant, turf, bare rooted plant, mature tree, cut flower, foliage, hay, or fodder but excluding fruit, plants in tissue culture and seeds.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC under ICA‐46, Plant Health Declaration or permit.

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Condition 23B - Green Snail: Properties within 2km of an infested property

Any plant in tissue culture or plant originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from green snail may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise-

the entry or importation into Victoria of any host plant which has been grown or packed on a property within 2km of a green snail infested property is prohibited unless certified that:

  1. the host plant has been grown or packed on a property which-
    1. has been baited and inspected from 1 April to 30 November (inclusive), for at least 3 months before importation using an APVMA approved molluscicide for the control of green snail in accordance with all APVMA label directions and permit conditions, and
    2. the baits are laid on the property, in a continuous strip, on a 3 m wide vegetation-free strip inside the perimeter of the property and transects through the property on a grid pattern with distances between the strips of:
      1. 50 m for properties up to 5 ha provided that there is at least two transects running through the centre of the property at right angles; or
      2. 100 m for properties between 5 and 10 ha; or
      3. 200 m for properties greater than 10 ha; and
    3. inspected by an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the state or territory in which the property is located, along bait trails 3 to 10 days after baits were laid and found free of green snail; and
  2. be grown or packed on a property that has a control/hygiene program in place to prevent the entry of green snail, which includes:
    1. additional 3 m wide vegetation free strip (on the inside edge of the 3 m baited boundary strip) around the perimeter of the property that is:
      1. baiting using an APVMA approved molluscicide for the control of green snail in accordance with all APVMA label directions and permit conditions, and applied each four weeks between the months of April and November, inclusive; or
      2. a continuous physical barrier constructed of:
        • galvanised sheet bent at an angle of 20 degrees to the soil surface; or
        • an electric fence designed specifically for snails; and
    2. a continuous trench extending 3 metres inside the perimeter of the property that contains an unbroken line of bait between the months of April and November inclusive; and protection of driveways with a continuous trench of 100 mm wide and 100 mm deep along both sides of the entire length of the driveway, constructed from a solid material such as concrete; and
    3. any plant material for packing is sourced from properties known to be free of green snail; and
    4. the storage of stock for export is more than 30 m from a baited boundary; and
  3. treated within 2 days prior to export with an APVMA approved chemical cover spray for the control of green snail in accordance with all APVMA label directions and permit conditions; and
  4. if grown in a propagating/potting media which has a soil component, the media must:
    1. originate from, and be stored on, properties which have been baited and inspected and found free of green snails, in accordance with the baiting requirements above (1); or
    2. be disinfested with one of the following treatments:
      1. methyl bromide fumigation 0.6 kg/m3 for 72 hours on an impervious floor with the material laid or packed no more than 660 mm deep during fumigation, or
      2. a steam and air mix at a temperature of 60° C for 30 minutes, or
      3. fumigation with a chemical containing 940 g/kg dazomet in accordance with all APVMA label directions and permit conditions; or
  5. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page; or
  6. in the case of small lots of household potted plants, all plants must be:
    1. bare-rooted so as to be visually free of soil and potting media; or
    2. re‐potted into new commercially available potting media under the supervision of an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the state or territory in which the material has been grown; and
    3. inspected by an officer of the department responsible for agriculture in the state or territory and found free of:
      1. green snail and
      2. earth material.

‘host material' means any host plant and any used package which has contained any host plants.

‘host plant' means any plant or plant product, including any leafy vegetable, cutting, potted plant, turf, bare rooted plant, mature tree, cut flower, foliage, hay, or fodder but excluding fruit, plants in tissue culture and seeds.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC, Plant Health Declaration or permit.

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Condition 23D - Green Snail: Properties more than 25km from an infestation

Any plant in tissue culture or plant originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from green snail may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise-

the entry or importation into Victoria of any host material is prohibited unless certified that:

  1. the host material be grown, packed and handled on a property located more than 25km from a green snail infested property

‘host material' means any host plant and any used package which has contained any host plants.

‘host plant' means any plant or plant product, including any leafy vegetable, cutting, potted plant, turf, bare rooted plant, mature tree, cut flower, foliage, hay, or fodder but excluding fruit, plants in tissue culture and seeds.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC or Plant Health Declaration

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Condition 23E - Green Snail: Host Material intended for Human Consumption

Any plant in tissue culture or plant originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free from green snail may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise‐

the entry or importation into Victoria of any host plant intended for human consumption is prohibited unless certified that:

  1. the host plant is
    1. washed through a hydro‐cooler or similar processing equipment so as to effectively remove all green snails; and
    2. inspected at the rate of 600 units or the whole consignment, and found free of green snail; or
  2. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page.

‘host material' means any host plant and any used package which has contained any host plants.

‘host plant' means any plant or plant product, including any leafy vegetable, cutting, potted plant, turf, bare rooted plant, mature tree, cut flower, foliage, hay, or fodder but excluding fruit, plants in tissue culture and seeds.

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC, Plant Health Declaration or permit.

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Condition 28 - Spiralling Whitefly

Any plant originating from an area covered by an Area Freedom Certificate declaring that the area from which the host material originated is known to be free of spiralling whitefly may enter Victoria without restriction, otherwise‐

the entry or importation into Victoria of a plant or plant product intended for propagation in a glasshouse, hothouse or an indoor area is prohibited unless certified that:

  1. the plant or plant product is grown on a property which is located more than 10km from a detection of spiralling whitefly; or
  2. the plant or plant product was grown on a property that is known to be free of spiralling whitefly; or
  3. inspected and found free of spiralling whitefly; or
  4. treated by:
    1. cover spraying to the point of run off with a mixture containing a commercial wetting agent at the rate specified on the product’s registered label; and
      1. 0.75mL of 400g/L dimethoate per L of water; or
      2. 0.5mL of 80g/L bifenthrin per L of water; or
      3. 0.4mL of 100g/L bifenthrin per L of water; or
    2. full immersion in a mixture containing 0.75mL of a concentrate containing 400g/L dimethoate per L of water for a minimum of 10 seconds; and
  5. packed so as to prevent infestation with spiralling whitefly; or
  6. enters Victoria in accordance with a permit issued by Agriculture Victoria. To apply for a permit visit the Plant biosecurity permit page .

Documentation requirement: PHC, PHAC under ICA‐35 or ICA‐36, BioSecure HACCP Health Certificate under ECCPSPW04, Plant Health Declaration or Permit.

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Condition 33 - Noxious Weeds: Guidance only

Under S71 of the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994, “a person must not wilfully bring or cause to be brought into Victoria or transport within Victoria the seeds of a noxious weed or any other part of a noxious weed which is capable of growing whether or not for sale, without a permit from the Secretary.” The movement of noxious weed contaminated fodder, stock, grain, machinery, soil, gravel or stone is also prohibited.

Note: Seeds or other hosts may be tested prior to import into Victoria by an accredited seed testing laboratory for the presence of weed seed. A permit is required only if any weed seed is present in the consignment.

For further details contact the Department Customer Service Centre on 136 186.

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