Fiji’s ports, including the pictured Lautoka, will be the first destinations to accept Australian grain and horticultural exports verified with ePhyto certification. Photo: Fiji Ports

AUSTRALIA’S Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry continues to build on its paperless trade successes with Australia’s first ePhyto exports pilot using the International Plant Protection Convention ePhyto Hub.

​This step towards paperless trade is said to provide new opportunities for Australia’s grain and horticulture industries.

​Acting deputy secretary of the Agriculture Trade Group Nicola Hinder said this was a significant milestone towards the departments paperless trade agenda.

​“We already have a number of paperless exchanges established with trading partners such as Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand and The Philippines, across a variety of agricultural goods,” Ms Hinder said.

​“The department has long been considered a leader in agriculture digital trade and paperless certification, with ePhyto representing an important step for Australia and our commitment to digitising trade.”

​The move from paper phytosanitary certification to electronic certificates, known as ePhyto, cuts down time to process certificates and streamlines boarder clearance processes for the horticulture and grain industries.

​Fiji will be the first country to shift to ePhyto certification for Australian exports of horticulture and grain.

​“We have been working closely with them to put our technical solution through thorough testing for the past six weeks to ensure that the system is performing as it should ahead of this release.

​“This is a great achievement for our department and industry and has been a priority for the past two years.

​“We look forward to establishing further ePhyto Hub arrangements with trading partners across the globe, which will continue to drive our paperless trade agenda.

​“Our goal is to connect with other countries linked to the IPPC hub throughout 2024.”

​Source: Federal Government