Australia Suspends Pomelo Fruit Imports from Vietnam Amid Biosecurity Concerns

Australia has suspended imports of fresh pomelo fruit from Vietnam due to biosecurity concerns, just months after trade in the fruit began in April. The six-month suspension comes after the identification of exotic pest and disease symptoms on some imported consignments.

Background of the Suspension

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) conducted an in-country audit in August and found that the systems and processes in place for Vietnamese exports were not in line with the trade agreement. The large citrus fruit, similar to a grapefruit, is native to South-East Asia.

Industry Reaction

Citrus Australia chief executive Nathan Hancock said, "We're very thankful that the department has taken this step because biosecurity is important to all of us." He added, "We see this decision as an example of the system working as it should."

Nathan Hancock also said, "We believe we supplied quite a strong submission outlining the risks and we have been disappointed by the approach to our submission and others." He further stated, "Once we learned the market access was going to be granted, we met with the department and asked that an audit be conducted as soon as possible after the first shipments passed through the process."

When asked about the specific pests and diseases found, Hancock said, "We have been reassured that there were no detections of Huanglongbing or HLB citrus greening disease or citrus canker, which are both serious concerns for the citrus industry." He also mentioned, "But the fact that they were able to detect other pests and diseases led them to believe the protocols and processes that were agreed upon in the work plan weren't being met."

Impact on the Citrus Industry

The Australian citrus industry was worth $1.2 billion in 2025, the nation's most valuable fruit production. Sunraysia orange grower Darren Minter said, "The citrus industry didn't really want this to happen because they have insects and diseases that we don't." He further stated, "If they bring a bug in, we're the ones that have got to wear it."

Minter also expressed concerns about biosecurity, saying, "The rest of the world has a lot of insects that we don't … and a lot of the stuff coming out of South Africa and Asia are chemical resistant, so it will hurt our industry a lot if we do have a biosecurity incursion."

Next Steps

A DAFF spokesperson said, "All pomelo fruit found with biosecurity concerns have been managed at the border, either via export or destruction at the importers' expense." The spokesperson added, "During the 6-month suspension the department will undertake a full review of the Vietnam pomelo fruit import pathway and work with Vietnam to implement corrective actions."