Crop Information

Minor and major crops

Minor use permits have the intended purpose of normal use on a minor crop, and minor use on a major crop. Both ‘minor crop’ and ‘major crop’ are defined by the APVMA.

Specifically the guide for determining minor uses from the APVMA lists the major and minor crops.

Major vegetable crops

The following list is from the APVMA regarding which crops they consider to be ‘major’. This is important to understand when requesting a minor use permit.

Brassica vegetables

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower

Fruiting vegetables – cucurbits

• Melons
• Pumpkin

Fruiting vegetables – other than cucurbits

• Peppers

Leafy vegetables

• Lettuce

Legume vegetables

• Bean (French and runner)
• Field pea
• Green pea

Root and tuber vegetables

• Carrot

This project is funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited using the National Vegetable Levy funds from the Australian Government.

Minor use

Minor use is the permit system in Australia which allows for approved off-label use of agrichemicals for specific purposes. It is designed to assist minor crops gain greater access to agrichemicals when needed, and for approved minor use of agrichemicals on major crops.

Minor use is important because it plays an integral role in the Australian vegetable industry as on-label options are often limited for many vegetable crops, especially in the case of emerging crops grown for niche markets.

Strategic Agrichemical Review Process

To best understand the needs of vegetable growers, documents which represent current requirements are needed. The following Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP) documents were produced with collaboration from growers across Australia.

Current vegetable SARP documents

• Beans and peas – 14 March 2014
• Beetroot – 10 February 2014
• Brassica leafy – 4 February 2014
• Brassica V2 – 15 February 2014
• Carrot – 5 February 2014
• Celery – 20 January 2014
• Cucumber – 15 February 2014
• Eggplant – 10 February 2014
• Leek – 15 February 2014
• Lettuce – 15 February 2014
• Parsley – 10 March 2014
• Peppers – 10 March 2014
• Silverbeet and spinach – 15 February 2014
• Snow and sugar snap peas- 18 February 2014
• Spring onion and shallot – 14 March 2014
• Sweet corn – 14 March 2014
• Sweetpotato – 14 March 2014
• Zucchini – 14 March 2014

As they were originally prepared in 2014, these documents may not currently represent the needs and major pest issues of vegetable growers.