Australia's biosecurity officers have had a busy year in 2021, screening 18.7 million international mail articles for biosecurity risk material and keeping Australia safe from exotic pests and diseases.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia, David Littleproud said 37,400 mail articles were found with biosecurity risks, to 31 October 2021, which was lower than previous years, linked to a decrease of total mail volumes in 2021 due to COVID impacts.
"Between 1 January and 31 October 2021, 18.7 million international mail articles were screened for biosecurity risk material," Minister Littleproud said.
"Biosecurity officers intercepted over 13,700 articles containing seeds, or 37% of the total interceptions for the period.
"Biosecurity officers working in the international mail centres also intercepted 2,300 articles containing khapra beetle risk commodities.
"Over 3,700 articles intercepted contained pork or pork-related products this year with 3,200 intercepted during the same period last year.
"Pork products could potentially carry African swine fever, a contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs which has no vaccine and kills about 80 per cent of the pigs it infects, as well as foot-and-mouth disease.
"Although 2021 has been a ruff year for all, our detector dog fleet has intercepted and achieved - working tirelessly through unprecedented circumstances.
"Our 41 furry officers have screened more than 10.5 million incoming mail items and intercepted approximately 9,400 biosecurity risk items as at 31 October. The highest volume commodity detected was plant and plant products (including seeds) with over 6,900 interceptions across the four international mail centres.
"With the return of international travel, detector dog teams around the country are preparing to meet the increased demand for screening and will continue their contribution to our intervention strategy in this pathway.
"We all need to play our part to safeguard our agricultural production and our environment by not having anything sent to Australia that would compromise our clean, green, world class biosecurity status."
We wish everyone a biosecurity-safe New Year.
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