[DRAFT PRA subject to consultation until 14 September 2026]

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) has prepared this draft report to assess the proposals by India and Indonesia for market access to Australia for fresh decrowned pineapples for human consumption. 

Australia currently permits the importation of decrowned pineapples from the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, Taiwan and Thailand for human consumption, provided Australian biosecurity import conditions are met. 

This draft report determines that the importation of commercially produced decrowned pineapples to Australia from all production areas of India and Indonesia can be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements. 

This draft report contains details of plant pests that are of biosecurity concern to Australia and are potentially associated with the importation of decrowned pineapples from India and Indonesia. The term ‘pests’ includes both arthropod pests and pathogens. 

This report also contains risk assessments for the identified quarantine pests and regulated article, and, where required, proposed risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level, that is, to achieve the appropriate level of protection (ALOP) for Australia. 

Eight pests have been identified in this risk analysis as requiring risk management measures to reduce the biosecurity risk to an acceptable level. 

These pests are: 

• Hard scales: trilobite scale (Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis). 

• mealybugs: grey pineapple mealybug (Dysmicoccus neobrevipes), papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus), madeira mealybug (Phenacoccus madeirensis), Pacific mealybug (Planococcus minor), cryptic mealybug (Pseudococcus cryptus) and Jack Beardsley mealybug (Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi) 

• thrips: cotton thrips (Frankliniella schultzei species complex). 

All 8 pests are quarantine pests. Cotton thrips is also identified as a regulated article as it is capable of harbouring and spreading quarantine orthotospoviruses. The identified pests are the same, or of the same pest groups, as those associated with pineapple and other horticultural commodities that have been analysed previously by the department. 

The proposed risk management measures take account of regional differences in pest distribution within Australia. Five pests requiring risk management measures, Paracoccus marginatus, Planococcus minor, Pseudococcus cryptus, Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi and Pseudaonidia trilobitiformis, have been identified as regional quarantine pests for Western Australia. These pests are considered regional quarantine pests as interstate quarantine regulations and enforcement are in place to prevent the entry of these species into Western Australia. In this draft report the department proposes a range of risk management measures, combined with an operational system, to reduce the risks posed by the 8 identified species to achieve the ALOP for Australia. 

The proposed measures are: 

• for hard scales, mealybugs and thrips: 

− fruit treatment considered to be effective against all life stages of scales, mealybugs and thrips, such as methyl bromide fumigation or irradiation; or 

− a systems approach considered to be effective in mitigating the risks of scales, mealybugs and thrips on decrowned pineapple fruit, and approved by the department. 

This draft report has been published on the department website to allow interested parties to provide comments and submissions within the specified consultation period.