G/SG/N/6/AUS/4  
 
3 July 2013  
(13-3489)  Page: 1/4  
Committees on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE 
AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF  
AN INVESTIGATION AND THE REASONS FOR IT 
AUSTRALIA  
(Certain Processed  Fruit Products ) 
The following communication, dated 2 July 2013, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Australia.* 
 
_______________ 
  
Pursuant to Article 12.1(a) of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, Australia notifies that a 
safeguards investigation has been initiated as follows.   
1. Specify the date when the investigation was initiated 
The reference to the Productivity Commission, which is the investigating authority, was made on 
21 June 2013. (Australia's safeguard procedures were notified in document G/SG/N/1/AUS/2 dated 
2 July 1998 and G/SG/N/1/AUS/2/Suppl.1 dated 16 December 2005.) 
 The Press Release attaching the Terms of Reference of the inquiry is at Attachment A. The major 
suppliers to the Australian market were advised by letter on 21 June 2013. 
 The final report by the Productivity Commission is to be provided to the Government within six months of the referral. 
 
2. Specify the product subject to the investigation 
Processed fruit products with the corresponding tariff subheadings of the Australian Customs Tariff 
as follows: 
 Citrus fruit 2008.30.00 
Pears 2008.40.00 
Apricots 2008.50.00 Peaches, including nectarines 2008.70.00 Mixtures 2008.97.00 
Other 2008.99.00 
 3. Provide the reasons for the initiation of investigation 
(i) The investigation was initiated pursuant to a petition from the domestic industry. 
(ii) Evidence on the basis of which the investigation was initiated. 
                                               
* A copy of the Press Release and Terms of Refe rence to the Productivity Commission has been 
submitted electronically. To consult this document, please cont act Ms Hilary Budd ( hilary.budd@wto.org ) or 
Ms Delphine Naville ( delphine.naville@wto.org ) of the Rules Division. G/SG/N/6/AUS/4 
 
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  The following provides information on the increase in imports which form the basis for the initiation 
of the investigation. The levels of imports, based on the financial year1, are from countries other 
than New Zealand and Singapore. The source of all data is the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), International Trade, Australia, cat. No. 5368.0. 
 
Imports of Citrus Fruit (2008.30.00) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(kg) 1,061,647 721,806 667,902 1,098,988 1,161,342  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year  -32.01 -7.47 64.54 5.67  
 
Imports of Pears (2008.40.00) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(kg) 1,864,034 1,226,892 1,334,078 1,763,003 2,076,775  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year  -34.18 8.74 32.15 17.80  
 
Imports of Apricots (2008.50.00) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(kg) 1,202,143 1,384,972 1,164,482 1,627,389 2,378,177  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year  15.21 -15.92 39.75 46.14  
 
Imports of Peaches, including nectarines (2008.70.00) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(kg) 6.446,820 6,511,185 5,826,782 9,100,998 9,338,104  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year  1.00 -10.51 56.20 2.61  
 
Imports of Mixtures (2008.97.00) 
(Note: this code became operational as of 1 January 2012; subheading 2008.92.00 was repealed. 
Data for code 2008.92.00 is also included below.) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(kg)     3,551,999  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year      
 
                                               
1 Australia's Financial Year is 1 July to 30 June. G/SG/N/6/AUS/4 
 
- 3 - 
 
  Imports of Mixtures (2008.92.00) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(litre) 5,373,253 4,206,987 6,181,069 7,825,336 4,421,904  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year  20.48 22.00 26.60 -43.50  
 
Imports of Other (2008.99.00) 
 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 
Total volume 
(kg) 17,628,256 17,379,078 18,278,129 24,323,473 25,749,764  
Percentage 
change from 
previous 
financial year  -1.41 5.17 33.07 5.86  
 
New Zealand and Singapore are excluded from sa feguard action under the Australia New Zealand 
Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (ANZ CERTA) and the Singapore Australia Free Trade 
Agreement (SAFTA).   
The major sources of Australia's processed fruit imports are China and South Africa and to a lesser 
extent Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Greece, Italy,  the Philippines, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and 
the United States. 
 
Citrus fruit  
The volume of imported canned citrus fruit has increased from around 550 tonnes in 2000-01 to 
1,163 tonnes in 2011-12. Australia's canned citrus imports mainly came from China (65%), Brazil (21%) and Spain (4%) (ABS, cat. no. 5465.0).  
Domestic production of fresh citrus fruit (oranges, mandarins, limes, lemons and grapefruit) for all 
purposes (fresh and processing) declined from around 780,000 tonnes in 2000-01 to around 430,000 tonnes in 2010-11
 (ABS, cat. no. 7121.0). 
 
Pears  
The volume of canned pear imports has increa sed from around 60 tonnes in 2000-01 to almost 
2,100 tonnes in 2011-12. China accounted for around  65% of total canned pear imports, with 
South Africa (15%) and New Zealand (8%) the other major sources (ABS, cat. no. 5465.0).  
Domestic production of pears for all purposes (fresh and processing) declined from around 
169,000 tonnes in 2000-01 to a low of 95,000 tonnes in 2009-10, before recovering to 123,000 tonnes in 2010-11 (ABS, cat. no. 7121.0). 
 
Apricots  
Until 2010-11, the volume of canned apricot imports has remained relatively stable. In 2011-12, 
Turkey accounted for 45% of imports, followed by  South Africa (28%) and China (24%) (ABS, cat. 
no. 5465.0).  
Domestic production of fresh apricots for all purp oses (fresh and processing) declined from around 
21,000 tonnes in 2000-01 to just over 13,000 tonnes in 2010-11
 (ABS, cat. no. 7121.0). 
 
Peaches, including nectarines 
 The volume of canned peach and nectarine imports was less than 500 tonnes in 2000-01 before 
rising significantly in 2004-05. In 2011-12 canned peach imports were around 9,300 tonnes, with 
South Africa accounting for 40% of imports, followed by China (30%), Greece (18%) and Chile (8%) (ABS, cat. no. 5465.0). G/SG/N/6/AUS/4 
 
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Domestic production of fresh peaches and nectarines for all purposes (fresh and processing) declined from around 108,000 tonnes in 2000-01 to around 97,500 tonnes in 2010-11
 (ABS, cat. 
no. 7121.0). 
 
Mixtures   
The volume of canned mixed fruit imports (mixtures of fruit & other edible parts of plants) 
prepared or preserved has increased from around 830,000 litres in 2000-01 to 7.8 million litres in 2010-11. China is the major source, accounting for 43% of total imports, while South Africa accounts for a further 23% (ABS, cat. no. 5465.0). 
 
Overall, while domestic consumption of processed fruit has been declining in recent years, imports have continued to rise. Production trends have also been declining in the face of increased market 
share to imports. The demand for fruit for processing has also declined significantly. As a result, 
fruit growers have also been reducing their tree numbers or exiting the industry due to low prices and an influx of imported fruits.  
 
(iii) Evidence, if any, of critical circumstances where delay would cause damage which it would 
be difficult to repair. 
The Productivity Commission has also been asked to provide an accelerated report within three 
months regarding the application of provisional sa feguard measures. In particular, the Productivity 
Commission will examine whether critical circumstances exist where delay in applying measures would cause damage which it would be difficult to repair and consequently, whether provisional 
measures may be justified due to the presence of clear evidence that increased imports have 
caused or are threatening to cause serious injury. 4. Provide a point of contact for the in vestigation and preferred means of 
communication 
The first circular/issues paper by the Productivity Commission will provide information on how 
interested parties can participate in the investigation. The paper will include the dates for submissions by interested and will be distribu ted and made available on the Productivity 
Commission's website. Interested parties are invited to make submissions and register an interest 
in the inquiry on the Productivity Commission's website: www.pc.gov.au . 
 
5. Provide the deadlines and procedures for im porters, exporters and other interested 
parties to present evidence and views, including (i) deadlines and procedures for Members and exporters to identify themselves as interested parties, if so required, to 
participate in the investigation and (ii) th e date of an intended public hearing as 
provided for in Article 3.1 
The timing and location of public hearings has not yet been determined by the Productivity 
Commission. The Commission will make this information available through its website.  
 
Attachment 
 
Press Release and Terms of Reference to the Productivity Commission. 
 
__________