Plant and Animal Quarantine Regulations- Part IV - Plant Quarantine - Regulations and Quarantines (General)

Plant and Animal Quarantine Regulations 41. Plant Quarantines - General QP 1 Entry of fresh fruit and vegetables (a) The entry of fresh fruit and vegetables into the FSM is prohibited except under permit issued by the Administrator prior to the importation. (b) All importations of fresh fruits and vegetables from a place outside the FSM shall be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country. (c) All importations of fresh fruits and vegetables into a State of the FSM from another State of the FSM shall be accompanied by a written statement verifying the origin of the fruits and vegetables and issued under the authority of the Chief of Agriculture of the exporting State. (d) All fresh fruits and vegetables must be imported in new, clean packages which must state the country of origin and provide a description of the produce contained therein. (e) The entry of species of fruits and vegetables susceptible to fruit flies is prohibited from all countries where fruit flies exotic to the FSM are known to occur, unless such fruits or vegetables have been subjected to approved quarantine treatment and/or conditions. (f) It is prohibited to import into the FSM any fruits or vegetables after they have transitted through areas known to be infested with any fruit fly species other than Bactrocera frauenfeldi (Caroline or mango fly), Oryctes rhinoceros (rhinoceros beetle), or other quarantine pests not established within the FSM, unless such fruits and vegetables are maintained in the original package and such packages have not been exposed to any quarantine pests between the point of origin and the entry point into the FSM. (g) All imported fresh fruits and vegetables shall be examined by an Inspector on arrival. If a pest is detected, a prescribed treatment shall be applied before the consignment is released to the importer. In the absence of a suitable treatment, the fruits and/or vegetables shall be directed to be destroyed or re-exported at the importer's expense. (h) Fruits and vegetables which have been cooked, hermetically canned, frozen, dried or candied, preserved or otherwise processed in such a manner as to preclude a pest risk and to render the product non-viable may be exempt from the provisions of this Regulation. QP 2 Entry of live plants or parts thereof (other than seeds or tissue cultures) for propagation (a) All importations of live plants and planting material from a place outside the FSM shall be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country which shall state details of any treatment given to the plants or planting material in the place of origin and include any other endorsements required as a condition of the importation. (b) All importations of live plants and planting material into a State of the FSM from another State of the FSM shall be accompanied by a written statement verifying the origin of the live plants and planting material, issued under the authority of the Chief of Agriculture of the exporting State. (c) The importation of plants or planting material which can be propagated, other than seeds, may be limited to the smallest quantity of propagating material consistent with standard horticultural practices to enable the satisfactory establishment and reproduction of the introduced cultivar. (d) All imported plants shall be free from soil. (e) An approved packing material may be used around the roots of imported plants. Approved packing material may consist of sterile peat moss, sphagnum moss, perlite, vermiculite, sawdust, shredded paper or other inert materials. (f) Plant tissue cultures may be imported in aseptic, sealed flasks in a sterile medium such as agar. Plant tissue cultures shall be subject to inspection on arrival and any contaminated flasks and their contents shall be destroyed. QP 3 Importation of seed (a) Small commercial packets of flowers and vegetable seeds may be imported without a permit at the discretion of the Administrator. However, small commercial packets of beans, cabbage, cauliflower and other crucifers, maize and tomato seeds may be imported only under a permit. (b) With the exception of seeds imported without a permit under QP 3 (a), all seeds shall be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate. The Administrator may also require an official seed analysis report. (c) Seed transferred from State to State within the FSM shall be accompanied by a written statement verifying the origin of the seed, issued under the authority of the Chief of Agriculture of the exporting State. (d) Upon arrival, samples of seed may be drawn for examination and if necessary, in the opinion of the Inspector, treatment shall be applied. (e) All seeds shall be pure and free from injurious extraneous matter, including soil, noxious weed seeds, insects and diseases and shall be subject to such conditions as are determined by the Administrator. QP 4 Cut flowers and foliage (a) Subject to other relevant provisions of these regulations any cut flower, excluding members of the family Helicomaceae (which are prohibited), including foliage may be imported, if on inspection at the point of entry the cut flowers are free from pests and contain no material capable of propagation. (b) Any cut flower that can be propagated shall be treated as prescribed to prevent propagation. (c) Subject to relevant provisions of these Regulations, any imported dried flower and/or foliage shall be subject to inspection at the point of entry and, if found to contain pests or viable seeds, shall be subject to treatment as prescribed to remove any quarantine pest or viable seeds before release. QP 5 Timber (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of QP 5 (d), all consignments of timber imported from overseas shall be subject to inspection on arrival and treatment as prescribed if necessary. If such prescribed treatment is not available, the consignment may be ordered to be re-shipped or destroyed. If treatment or re-shipment is not performed within 30 days of the order, the consignment shall be destroyed. (b) The importation of bark and timber with bark attached is prohibited. (c) The importation of previously used timber shall be subject to mandatory treatment for pests before release. (d) Imported timber that has been subjected to an approved treatment for the prevention of insect attack prior to entry to the FSM may be imported subject to the provision of an official certificate of treatment and inspection of the timber on arrival to verify the efficacy of the treatment. QP 6 Grass, bamboo, cane, palm fronds and goods manufactured from such materials (a) Grass, bamboo, cane and palm fronds, including wall and roof thatching materials, are prohibited entry into the FSM. (b) All importations of grass, bamboo, cane and palm fronds and building materials manufactured from such materials into a State of the FSM from another State of the FSM shall be accompanied by a written statement verifying the origin of such materials, issued under the authority of the Chief of Agriculture of the exporting State. (c) Manufactured bamboo and cane furniture may be imported subject to inspection on arrival and treatment if necessary. QP 7 Soil, sand and gravel. (a) The importation of soil, sand or gravel into the FSM or the movement of sand, soil or gravel between States of the FSM is prohibited except by permit issued prior to such importation by the Administrator. (b) Soil used as ballast in any conveyance shall not be discharged within the FSM or within the territorial waters of the FSM. QP 8 Stored dried food products if on inspection stored dried food products including polished rice, spices, and other dried food products are found to be infested with pests or contaminated in any way an Inspector may order that such infested goods be treated, destroyed or re-exported on the expense of the owner or agent. QP 9 Packing material, dunnage and second-hand bags (a) The importation into the FSM or transportation from one State to another within the FSM of any packing materials other than approved packing material is prohibited. (b) Approved packing materials shall include wood shavings, sawdust, sphagnum moss, sterile peat moss, woodwool, ground cork, charcoal, shredded paper, perlite, plastics, vermiculite, non-plant and non-animal based materials and any other material approved by the Administrator as a packing material. (c) No second-hand bags, sacks, containers, wrapping or packing materials which have been previously used for the transportation of plant or animal material, or which were manufactured to be used for that purpose, shall be used for the importation of any kind of goods. (d) Any imported timber dunnage, including skids, pallets, racks, stickers, etc., is subject to inspection and treatment as prescribed, re-shipment or destruction at the expense of the importer or agent. QP 10 Handicrafts made from plant material Handicrafts that do not contain any material prohibited or restricted under these regulations may enter subject to inspection and treatment as required. QP 11 Bacteria, viruses, vaccines, cultures and organisms (a) It is prohibited to import, or to move from island to island within the FSM, any living culture or organism including parasites, arachnids, molluscs, nematodes, fungi, bacteria, virus, viroids, vaccines for animal use, mycoplasma, parasitic plant organisms, plant pests or other invertebrate animals unless a permit has been issued for such importation or movement by the Administrator prior to the importation or movement of the consignment, and unless such importation or movement occurs in compliance with the conditions imposed by such permit. (b) The importation into the FSM or movement from island to island within the FSM of commercial yeast and yoghurt cultures shall be exempt from all provisions of QP 11 (a).