A delegation from Australia's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has recently visited farms in China to assess import risks from Shanxi-grown nectarines and Xinjiang-grown table grapes.

The delegation included plant health expert Matthew Smyth, accompanied by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine's (AQSIQ) deputy director of plant health Mingtan Liao and deputy director of plant import management Xiaohui Chew.

The visit to Yunchan in Shanxi, as well as different vineyards in the province of Xinjiang, included an overview of pest controls, pesticide dosage, farm traceability, processing capabilities and packhouse cold storage conditions.

AQSIQ reported in-depth discussions took place about the potential risks of black root rot, grape bunch rot and grape alternaria.

Yuncheng city's local news reported AQSIQ and DAFF official reached a consensus over bio-risk concerns, which was hailed as a good sign the region's prospects for exporting fruit to Australia in the future.

AQSIQ reported the Australian delegation gave an overall positive assessment of conditions, marking an important step in efforts for market access.

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