INDUSTRY COMMUNIQUE – Safeguarding Australian mungbean export markets
Date: 24 December 2025
To: All Australian Mungbean Growers, Agronomists, Processors and Exporters
Australia’s reputation for high-quality, safe mungbeans is the cornerstone of our successful export industry. Maintaining this reputation requires collective adherence to stringent standards including meeting export market requirements regarding Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for crop protection products.
The AMA emphasises that a single consignment exceeding an importing country’s MRL can jeopardize market access and the reputation of the entire industry. To help protect these vital trade relationships, the AMA strongly recommends a unified approach to the application of crop protection products and communication within the supply chain.
AMA Recommendations for MRL Compliance
The AMA provides the following recommendations to all industry participants:
Adherence to application rates and intervals: All growers and their agronomists must strictly ensure all crop protection products are applied at the recommended label rates. Furthermore, observing all minimum re-treatment intervals and withholding periods (WHPs) is mandatory.
Avoid specific higher-risk treatments: In several cases, even treatments in accordance with label requirements can result in product exceeding overseas market MRLs which may be set at levels much lower than Australian MRLs.
Therefore to ensure compliance with MRLs in key export markets, the AMA recommends avoiding the use of the following products where possible:
o Starkle® (dinotefuran)
o Shield® (clothianidin)
o Skope® (acetamiprid / emamectin)
Agronomist guidance: Agronomists are strongly encouraged to recommend alternative crop protection strategies to growers when the chemicals listed above are considered. This proactive approach ensures that growers’ final product remains suitable for all export markets.
Accurate documentation: In all cases growers must ensure they are fully and accurately completing the AMA Grower Commodity Declarations available from your marketer and the AMA website www.mungbean.org.au These declarations should be provided to your marketer prior to the delivery of your mungbeans. Accurate documentation protects you as the grower and provides marketers with essential options for storage, testing and market placement.
Seek advice and discuss options: Specific marketers will set their own procurement requirements and testing arrangements, therefore the AMA encourages all growers and agronomists to discuss intended treatment plans and marketing options with their preferred processor and/or marketer.
Free support is also readily available from the AMA’s Industry Development Agronomist, Paul McIntosh.
By working together and following best practices, we can ensure the continued integrity and reputation of the Australian mungbean industry.
Further Information
Paul McIntosh, AMA Industry Development Agronomist
0429 566 198
Agronomist@mungbean.org.au
Disclaimer: This communique is intended as general advice only. Industry participants should seek specific advice regarding their individual circumstances and intended actions prior to making any decisions. The AMA accepts no liability for actions taken based on this general guidance.
