A risk assessment report for importing Tahitian limes from the Pacific Islands has been released by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
The report, which is in its draft phase, proposes the importation of fresh Tahitian limes to Australia from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu subject to a range of biosecurity conditions.
Three arthropod pests have been identified as requiring risk management measures: the grey pineapple mealybug, Pacific mealybug and cryptic mealybug.
Citrus Australia market access manager David Daniels said at this point it was only a draft report and no policy decision had been made.
“Australia already has an import policy for limes from various origins including New Caledonia, although to the best of our knowledge, no meaningful trade in limes has ever taken place,” Mr Daniels said.
