Australia
New Zealand The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) is implementing urgent biosecurity actions to address the risk of Khapra Beetle.
Khapra Beetle (Trogoderma granarium) is a destructive pest that can reproduce rapidly in stored products under hot conditions, causing significant losses to produce held in stores such as grain in silos. Infested stores also become contaminated with beetles and cast skins and hairs from larvae which can be a health risk.
The Khapra Beetle is a serious agricultural pest that poses a major threat to Australia’s grain industry. The exotic pest is second on Australia’s most unwanted plant pest list and is a serious pest of stored grains, rice, oilseeds and dried foodstuffs. The full list of high-risk plants can be found via the below link:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/plant/khapra-beetle/urgent-actions#highrisk-plant-products
The Khapra beetle is found throughout Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) has identified countries where Khapra Beetle is present and thus poses a risk from containers imported into Australia from those countries. The full list of target risk counties can be found via the below link:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/arrival/pests/khapra_beetle
To combat the threat of this pest, DAWE has introduced new quarantine treatment requirements for containers loaded for Australia from target risk countries on or after 12th April 2021.
To comply with the new measures, all sea containers containing high-risk plant products that are packed in a target risk country and exported for Australia on or after 12 April 2021 must be treated Off-shore prior to loading and be accompanied by a valid treatment certificate. If a phytosanitary certificate is to be provided for sea containers, a valid treatment certificate must be provided in addition to the phytosanitary certificate.
On 12 July 2021, DAWE has enacted phase 6A of the preventative measures against Khapra Beetle requiring sea containers that are exported on or from 12 July 2021 that were packed in a khapra beetle target risk country and to be unpacked in a rural grain growing area of Australia must be treated offshore using an approved treatment option.
Containers from target risk countries that are loaded for Australia on or after 12th April 2021 and that do not comply with the new quarantine treatment requirements shall be returned to the origin or as directed by DAWE, with all associated costs falling under the Merchant’s responsibility.
The acceptable treatment options for Sea Containers can be found via the below link:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/plant/khapra-beetle/urgent-actions#treatment
Further information can be found via the Department’s website via the below link:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-weeds/plant/khapra-beetle
