Pacific Northwest apple growers are one step closer to gaining access to Australia’s long-sought consumer market.

Industry experts, however, say many uncertainties and regulatory hurdles remain.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on Oct. 31 published a risk assessment on importing fresh apples from the Pacific Northwest — defined as Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

In the report, the Agriculture Department recommended imports of commercially produced fresh apples from the Pacific Northwest be permitted to enter the country as long as they meet Australia’s biosecurity import conditions.

This is an important step forward in trade negotiations that have been ongoing for decades.

U.S. growers first requested access to Australia’s market in the 1990s, said Mark Powers, president of the Northwest Horticultural Council, a nonprofit that advocates for the tree fruit industry.

Australia, however, has long chosen protectionist policies, citing opposition to imports from Australian apple growers and concerns over biosecurity.

Documents from the Australian government detail concerns that Australia could accidentally import pests associated with U.S. apples, such as apple maggots. The Pacific Northwest has at least 20 pests and diseases not found in Australian orchards.

Australian apple growers voiced opposition to imports this week after the government gave U.S. growers the initial green light to import.

“APAL (Apple & Pear Australia Ltd.) does not support the importation of U.S. apples due to the substantial threat posed to Australia’s biosecurity,” said Phil Turnbull, CEO of APAL, an industry association for Australian apple and pear growers.

U.S. apple experts respond that Australian growers are exaggerating the risks associated with fresh fruit.

Through the decades, trade negotiations have gone through several stages under different administrations and regulatory processes. Powers said U.S. growers have been waiting for a risk assessment since 2013, so the fact that Australia has now issued a complete risk assessment is “a step in the right direction.”

It is, however, just a step. The U.S. and Australia will now need to negotiate a work plan that spells out the details of biosecurity regulations before shipments can begin.

“The details really matter,” said Powers.

If, for example, meeting Australia’s requirements add significant expenses to U.S. growers, they may not be able to sell apples at a price point consumers can afford, effectively pricing them out of Australia’s market.

Even if exporting apples to Australia becomes doable for Pacific Northwest growers, Powers said he doesn’t expect it to happen soon; negotiations between nations take time.

The next steps are out of the growers’ hands. According to a report from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, before imports can start, Australian officials will verify that the U.S. can meet the specified import conditions.

Then, USDA’s report says, the Australian Agriculture Department will publish the import conditions in a Biosecurity Import Conditions system and issue import permits to importers that meet the conditions.

“There’s no way we’ll ship this season,” Powers said. “Maybe next season, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.”