Oranges

Country

Korea, Republic of (KR)

Scientific Name

Citrus x sinensis

Group

Fruit

End use

Fresh

NPPO Details

Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA)

Relevant Web Addresses

www.qia.go.kr

Criteria	Criteria Required?
Import Permit	No
Phytosanitary Certificate	Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement	Yes
Protocol Market	Yes

Korea's Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management requires all foreign food establishments that produce, manufacture, process, treat and/or store food or plant products, including fresh fruit and vegetables for human consumption, intended for export to Korea to complete a web-based (http://impfood.mfds.go.kr/) registration process.

A foreign food facility as described in the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management for fresh fruits and vegetables includes growers, packaging and treatment facilities, etc.

Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.

All varieties of sweet oranges of the species Citrus sinensis from Australia are permitted export to Korea.

This is a protocol market. Work plans are available through Micor Plants in the 'Documents' section. Access is restricted and requires a logon.

Note:
All exports under the in-transit cold treatment pathway must undergo joint pre-clearance inspections at the designated export registered establishments. Exporters should confirm that their intended inspection and load out facility is hosting an APQA officer prior to booking inspection of consignments and loading of in-transit cold treatment containers. Phytosanitary inspections must occur at the same registered establishment as loading. For further information please contact HorticultureExports@aff.gov.au

Orchards, packhouses and treatment facilities must be jointly approved by the department and Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) for export to Korea.

Prior to export the consignment must be inspected by an Authorised Officer to ensure pest freedom and all vents have been covered. A 600 unit sample of the completed consignment will be inspected prior to export. During inspection, 10% of sampled fruits will have the calyx (button) lifted to inspect for pests.

Explanation of fruit fly pest free areas (PFAs)

The following areas are recognised as pest free areas for Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni) and Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata):

Tasmania

AND

The Riverland region of South Australia, excluding Queensland fruit fly suspension areas. Suspension areas can be found on the South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions fruit fly outbreak map. Fruit sourced from a Queensland fruit fly suspension area must undergo phytosanitary treatment, as outlined under ‘Treatment’.

Exporters sourcing fruit from the Riverland must present a State government certificate at the time of inspection which states all fruit was sourced from properties outside the suspension areas.

All citrus produced outside of a recognised PFA must undergo cold treatment.

Cold treatments must occur under supervision of an Authorised Officer.

Each pallet must have the words "FOR KOREA" in English printed on all four sides of the pallet with the words "Inspection Completed" after the Korean/Australian inspection.

For sea freight shipments, both the container and seal numbers must be recorded on the phytosanitary certificate. Air freight consignments should have the flight number, if known, included on the phytosanitary certificate.

The accredited packhouse number/s must be entered in the phytosanitary certificate under item 12 (Distinguishing marks and Container No). This must be entered into the “shipping marks” section of the EXDOC Request for Permit (RFP) and be in the example format of: PACKHOUSE NO: 0000.

Where applicable, the exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the endorsement and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

All consignments are subject to an import inspection on arrival. APQA will take samples from consignments and conduct laboratory tests.

Explanation of endorsements:

Endorsement 3456:

Applies to fruit sourced and packed from the Riverland which is recognised as a fruit fly PFA.

Endorsement 3457:

Applies to fruit produced in Tasmania.

Endorsements 2851, 1867 or 3022:

Applies to fruit produced outside fruit fly pest free areas, subject to in-transit cold treatment.

Endorsements 1346, 1815 or 3000:

Applies to fruit produced outside fruit fly pest free areas cold treated onshore.

Note: Onshore cold treatment is not permitted at this time.

All fruit sourced from outside recognised PFAs must be cold treated.

The following schedule must be applied for onshore and in-transit cold treatment:

1 degree Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 16 days.

2 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 18 days.

3 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 20 days.

Before commencing cold treatment, exporters must nominate the proposed cold treatment schedule.

Fruit must be pre-cooled to the nominated treatment temperature, or below, prior to commencing cold treatment. An Authorised Officer must confirm preliminary cooling by testing randomly selected fruit.

In-transit cold treatment

A minimum of three fruit pulp temperature sensors is required for in-transit cold treatment.

Temperature sensor records must be downloaded by a representative of the shipping company on arrival in Korea and sent to APQA at the first port of call. The treatment is not completed until APQA verifies that the temperature records meet the treatment schedule.

If in-transit cold treatment fails, the process may be restarted on arrival in Korea.

Onshore cold treatment

Note: Onshore cold treatment is not permitted at this time.

All airfreight shipments from non pest free areas must undergo onshore cold treatment.

The name and number of the registered establishment where onshore cold treatment was conducted must be entered in the ‘Lot number’ field (a free text field) of the EXDOC Request for Permit (RFP) and be in the example format of: ONSHORE COLD TREATMENT AT REGISTERED ESTABLISHMENT NAME / NUMBER.

The treatment temperature and the duration (number of consecutive days) must be inserted into the treatment section of the phytosanitary certificate.

A minimum of four fruit pulp temperature sensors is required for onshore cold treatment. Before the treatment ceases the temperature data must be downloaded, printed and provided to the Authorised Officer and APQA inspector for review to ensure the treatment meets the requirements.

After the treatment has completed, temperature records are to be printed, signed, stamped and endorsed as “COMPLETED” by the Authorised Officer and APQA officer.

For onshore cold treatment the exporter is responsible to ensure that each consignment is accompanied with the onshore cold treatment data and onshore cold treatment calibration and re-calibration record/certificate as required by the protocol.

Reconditioning

The type of reconditioning (or re-treatment) is at the exporter’s discretion and it must be done under the APQA supervision, details of treatment are to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.

Reconditioned consignments intended for export to Korea must be reinspected.

Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 1346)
1) The oranges were maintained at a temperature of 1 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 16 days, and

2) The oranges in this consignment were inspected and found free from quarantine pests specified by APQA and are considered free from Mycosphaerella citri, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora hibernalis, Septoria citri as a result of routine field inspection.

Option 4 (EXDOC Endorsement 2851)
1) The oranges are considered free from Mycosphaerella citri, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora hibernalis, Septoria citri as a result of routine field inspection,
2) The fruit core temperature has been lowered to current Korean requirements through pre-cooling prior to loading of the container,
3) The oranges shall be cold treated at 1 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 16 days or more.

Option 5 (EXDOC Endorsement 1867)
1) The oranges are considered free from Mycosphaerella citri, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora hibernalis, Septoria citri as a result of routine field inspection,
2) The fruit core temperature has been lowered to current Korean requirements through pre-cooling prior to loading of the container,
3) The oranges shall be cold treated at 2 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 18 days or more.

Option 6 (EXDOC Endorsement 3022)
1) The oranges are considered free from Mycosphaerella citri, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora hibernalis, Septoria citri as a result of routine field inspection,
2) The fruit core temperature has been lowered to current Korean requirements through pre-cooling prior to loading of the container,
3) The oranges shall be cold treated at 3 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, or below for 20 days or more.

Option 7 (EXDOC Endorsement 3456)
1) Oranges or lemons in this consignment were produced in the Riverland which is recognised as a fruit fly free area,
2) Oranges or lemons in this consignment were inspected and found to be free from quarantine pests specified by APQA and are considered free from Mycosphaerella citri, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora hibernalis and Septoria citri as a result of routine field inspection.

3) This is to further certify that oranges or lemons from the Riverland, South Australia covered by this certificate are free of Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tyroni), and they have been grown and packed in designated export areas for Korea excluding regulated areas.

Option 8 (EXDOC Endorsement 3457)
1) Oranges or lemons in this consignment were produced in the State of Tasmania which is recognised as a fruit fly free area,
2) Oranges or lemons in this consignment were inspected and found to be free from quarantine pests specified by APQA and are considered free from Mycosphaerella citri, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora hibernalis and Septoria citri as a result of routine field inspection.

NPPO correspondence dated 1 June 2020

02/07/2026 - Amended text for endorsements 2851, 1867, 3022 to align with protocol.
31/05/2024 - Exports can now commence out of approved facilities.
10/04/2024 - Updated general requirements to state exports under pre-clearance have not yet commenced for 2024.
08/06/2023 - Updated general requirements to include more information about in transit cold treatment
02/05/2023 - Updated general requirements to state exports under pre-clearance have not yet commenced for 2023.
07/11/2022 - Updated treatment details and amended endorsement to clarify wording. Updated general requirements to indicate the export season’s end.
24/06/2022 - Updated general requirements to include informtion about intended inspection and load out facilities.
02/06/2022 - Exports can now commence out of approved facilities.
16/05/2022 - Updated general requirements to state exports not to commence until notified.
21/12/2021 - Update to treatment requirements - Clarified onshore cold treatment certifying requirements
27/05/2021 - Clarification around ITCT load-out arrangements for 2021
25/01/2021 - Update to import requirements - update to text related to fruit fly outbreak.

Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014

Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026

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