AustraliaFresh blueberries from the U.S. do not currently have access to Australia. The California blueberry industry is working with USDA and other stakeholders to seek market access to Australia. Australia is currently reviewing industry research data on mitigations for spotted wing drosophila and blueberry maggot as part of a pest risk assessment (PRA) needed to open the market. Once this PRA is completed, a market access protocol will be negotiated and finalized. This issue remains a high priority on the U.S.-Australia bilateral agenda.
With respect to MRLs, Australia has its own national MRL system. As a result of industry efforts to seek blueberry MRLs in Australia, numerous import tolerances have been established. For 87 pesticides with U.S. blueberry MRLs, 20 pesticides have no Australia MRL established, and 22 have an Australia MRL more restrictive than the U.S. MRL. Forty-five (45) of these pesticides have an Australia MRL harmonized with or set higher than the U.S. MRL. |
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