Apple

Country
United States of America (US)
Scientific Name
Malus spp.
Group
Fruit
End use
Fresh
NPPO Details
Plant Protection and Quarantine, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit Yes
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Yes
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


A copy of the import permit must be presented to an Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.



USDA recognise Tasmania as a Pest Free Area for both Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) and Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni). 
Treatment is not required for fruit which has been sourced / produced and exported from Tasmania.

Consignments from Tasmania are required to be certified as Tasmanian origin and each container to be marked as being of Tasmanian origin.

Pests of concern are:

  • Light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana)
  • Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni)
  • Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata)
  • fruit-leaf roller moths (Tortricidae family)
  • all other fruit flies

If pests of the family Tortricidae are found during phytosanitary inspection the consignment must be treated with methyl bromide.
Treatment facilities must be certified by APHIS and treatments undertaken on-shore in Australia must be under USDA, APHIS supervision.

Note:

Consignments undergoing in-transit cold treatment to the USA must be lodged in the USDA Commodity Treatment Information System (CTIS or CTIS-M) by the department prior to arrival. Exporters must contact Assessment Services Exports PlantExportsNDH@aff.gov.au to request CTIS-M processing. This can be requested after RFP authorisation but must be completed at least 2 days prior to vessel arrival at a port in the US. 

Exporters must advise the department at the time of authorisation if transhipment via an additional country or vessel change will occur en  route to the USA or its territories.

Please use the email subject format:
Email subject: RFP xxxxxxxx [Container number] USDA CTIS-M  ITCT processing request - CTIS-M – [Vessel name] [Voyage]

Include:

  • Container:
  • Vessel Name:
  • Date of Departure:
  • ETA:
  • USDA Territory Port of Arrival:
  • Transhipment details (if relevant):


Exporters are also responsible for ensuring shipping lines are aware of their obligations. Shipping lines must send a weekly 'pre-alert/vessel summary report' to PlantExportsNDH@aff.gov.au. This summary report must include the estimated date of vessel arrival and container details.

An authorised officer must be appropriately trained, deemed competent and appointed by the department for the job functions HEP4001:1 and TRE3001:1 which includes the USDA training for the supervision of container loading to the USA.

Consignments from Mainland Australia must undergo in-transit cold treatment as per the following schedule:

  • 0 degrees Celsius (or below) for 13 days;

OR

  • 0.56 degrees Celsius (or below) for 14 days;

OR

  • 1.11 degrees Celsius (or below) for 18 days;

OR

  • 1.67 degrees Celsius (or below) for 20 days;

OR

  • 2.22 degrees Celsius (or below) for 22 days
Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 1245)
1) The fruit in this consignment was inspected and found free of all life stages of Light Brown Apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana).
Import permit dated 24 April 2018
09/07/2026 - Updated advice for processing of in-transit cold treatment requests and that apples sourced from Western Australia are not prohibited.
23/04/2025 - Updated treatment requirements for AOs.
28/06/2023 - Updated general requirements to include information about PPQ 556 processes.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026