So Peeved @ the Australian Govn't!!!!!

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Man!!!! I'm boiling right now! Thanks to the Australian government raising exportation fees to over $1,000 per shipment (not including phytosanitary papers and CITES documents), I am either gonna have a difficult time getting some flasks I had a lab produce out of there or I'm never gonna see my babies!

Thanks a million Australia for giving it to everybody, including your own citizens!!!!!!!!!!

wasn't there a notice period for the fee hike ?

we all value freedom of choice but it comes at a cost. You chose Australia instead of someone locally in the USA and unfortunately you have had to pay a price for that choice. Remember this is only my 2c worth !!!

I could give 10 other stories of how the USA charges exorbitant tourist visa $, only to reject the applications without good reason...

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

From what I understand, there was no sufficient notice for the fee hike. The lab contacted me and said that his only knowledge of the fee hike was through a fellow orchid hobbyist/business owner in Australia as recent as this past weekend.

I was not even aware of the fee hike myself until after someone on the OB pointed out the news to me that was posted on a different forum. And that was after I had put out a notice for a group order to obtain plants from Australia.

While I understand that what you're saying is your opinion, and while you have made it clear that they are your "two cents", I am not gonna be upset with the comment, but do allow me to explain...

I chose Australia because there was no one here in the US whom I felt was capable or competent of producing winter/summer rainfall Disa seedlings for me as a paying private individual. If you've searched for orchid seed sowing labs extensively before, you'll easily find that a great majority only deal with large scale orders for large scale agricultural businesses - not private individuals, hence why I highlighted the phrase "paying private individual". An increasingly small number of labs do cater to both the large scale industry consumer and the private hobbyist.

I have tried someone in the US, and while they did succeed with germinating the seeds of a tiny lot of 1 species of summer rainfall Disa to some degree, I had left specific instructions that were not heeded, and therefore, I was not completely satisfied. As a paying customer, I need to know or at least feel that I'm in good hands and be completely satisfied with the service provided, even if I had some difficulties in making the payment arrangements at first (I did eventually work my way to be able to pay the lab off completely for their services, but it was difficult with the pay that actors got at the time due to a "runaway industry").

If my own instructions bombed on me, I will shut up and eat it. But if my instructions are not heeded at all, how would I even know if they would bomb or not?! What if my instructions were the thing that would determine success from failure? I never got to know that at the time, because the lab didn't listen!

How mad would you be if you left detailed instructions to the lab, and the company didn't listen to you at all, only to provide the comment that they cannot provide specialized care for one individual's lot of plants just because the customer said so?! Would you blame me for feeling frustrated later, because I knew these plants needed specialized care, unlike those of epiphytical orchids or the care needed for evergreen Disas! From then on, it was clear to me that it was imperative to find labs that specialized in and had experience in sowing terrestrial orchid seeds with tuberoids, and could provide the care they needed.

The only other one I know who can sow winter/summer rainfall Disa seeds competently in the US, imo, is Dr. Warren Stoutamire, a professor of Akron University. He is not in the commercial business of sowing Disa seeds. I had contacted him years before I contacted the lab in Australia.

I contacted people whom I thought could do the job in Europe, and I got nothing.

That left 2 other locations, Australia and South Africa.

The lab in South Africa at the time was not answering my emails.

The one in Australia did. He had also specifically mentioned that he was 100% capable of, and has done so in the past, successfully germinated the seeds to one of the summer rainfall Disa species I provided seeds for.

What other choices were there?

Keep in mind, I was looking for labs that marketed themselves as Disa specialists who were willing to contract work for private individuals for relatively small lots here. This is not a shot in the dark and I'm not just randomly choosing whomever and whatever.

As you can see, this is not about me exercising my "freedom of choice", it's about getting the job done right!

Look, I'm not trying to be mean here, but the only way you'll understand this predicament even halfway close is if you have specifically dealt with winter rainfall/summer rainfall Disa seeds in the past. I have an article that somewhat details the process of sowing winter/summer rainfall Disa seeds, and it made my head spin. It is not like sowing Phals or Catts, where I would have tons of people to choose from here in the US. I have no reason to go outside the US for production of seedlings for stuff like Dens, Oncs, Catts, Phals, or even Bletilla unless I felt I needed to cut costs, which are already relatively low to begin with!

I have and am currently still contracting small lots of seeds to labs here in the US that I know can be done very competently within the country.

I hope after reading this, you get a taste of how I think in certain situations.

[Andrew]

King_of_orchid_growing,
With the type of species you're talking about, it sounds like you need to seriously think about flasking your own orchids.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Andrew

King_of_orchid_growing,
With the type of species you're talking about, it sounds like you need to seriously think about flasking your own orchids.

Does sound like it more-and-more, with these international trading laws falling in place one-by-one as time goes by.

I have thought about it more seriously in the recent months. It really is getting increasingly difficult to get anything internationally anymore.

[Bolero]

I guess the Australian Government didn't see these repercussions and I am surprised at the fee for exporting flasks. I am sorry to hear of this happening to you and I can assure you that generally the government here works very well.

[harleymc]

Baz,
I don't thiink the descriptor of 'little Hitlers' is in any way appropriate, it demeans the suffering of millions of people who lost their lives or lost family members. Take a chill pill.

[harleymc]

This whole thread seems based on a massive misconception. Where is this supposed $1000 charge?

from Plant Exports Fees and Charges - Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry "Section 3 – Fee Exemptions

Consignments comprising less than 10kg do not require a notice of intention to export/export permit and therefore no export permit documentation fee applies. See Export Control (Prescribed Goods – General) Order 2005 Order 2.01 (g). If an importing country requires other export certification for the consignment, all fees described below apply."

So unless the flasks are weighing greater than 10 kilograms each the only fees that apply are the phytosanitary cert and the export cert, each of which cost $16.00 if issued electronically.

If the total consignment is less than 20kg, split it into 2 consignments... marginally extra cost but nowhere near $1000.

[Bolero]

Yes, I just imported both live plants and flasks into Australia last month and I didn't pay this kind of expense. So I am not sure where the opinions are coming from.

I suspect they are coming from importers who have a vested interest in the plants. I have had some interesting discussions lately with importers who refuse to import for anyone but themselves.....I would suggest monopolising the market is a motive as well.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by harleymc

This whole thread seems based on a massive misconception. Where is this supposed $1000 charge?

Harleymc,
You need to either register as an exporter or export through a registered exporter to be issued with a phytosanitary certificate. This seems to be where the increased export costs are coming from.

Going by Volume 7 of the Plant Exports Operation Manual:
Prescribed goods must be prepared and presented for inspection at an export registered establishment.
with prescribed goods including:
Other prescribed goods, for example: stockfeed, woodchips, seeds and any other grain, plants or plant products for which a phytosanitary certificate is required by an importing country.
The annual fee for registering a premise as an export registered establishment is currently $1800 when the government subsidy is applied.

[Leafmite]

Nice to see someone mention Dr. Warren Stoutamire. He belongs to the OS I attend and the stuff he has brought in from U of Akron is just amazing. He has retired now and is focusing on his own plant collection.
Good luck getting your orchids. How disappointing!