Import Conditions

Case: Coir peat Effective 02 Sep 2015 to 19 Sep 2015

1. Prior to the importation of goods into Australia, a valid import permit issued by the Department of Agriculture is required.
   

   An import permit may be obtained by submitting an import permit application to the department (if viewed online, use the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of this page).
   

2. Each consignment must be clean, free from soil, contaminant plant material, animal material and be subjected to microbiological testing.
   

   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on a Phytosanitary certificate:

   The declaration "Based on inspection of representative samples, the coir peat is clean, free from soil, contaminant plant material and other extraneous material".
   

   AND

   You must present the following on a Certificate of inspection (Government Inspection Agency) or Phytosanitary certificate:

   The additional declaration "No visible contamination with animal material".
   

   AND

   You must present the following on a Certificate of analysis (Department Approved Lab):

   The microbiological analysis:
   

   Salmonella - absent in 25 grams.
   

   E. coli - five samples must be tested and the result of each sample must be listed.
   

   
   

   The following is considered to be acceptable results:
   

   1. Three samples must contain less than 100 bacteria per gram.
      

   2. Two samples can contain between 100 and 1000 bacteria per gram.
      

   3. No sample can contain more than 1000 bacteria per gram.
      

3. The goods must be clean and free of prohibited seed, soil, animal and plant debris and other biosecurity risk material prior to arrival in Australia.

4. Any packaging used with the consignment must be clean and new.

5. On arrival in Australia, the goods must be inspected to verify that they are free of live insects, plant or animal debris, soil and other biosecurity risk material.

6. If the consignment is not accompanied by an acceptable certificate of analysis from a Department approved laboratory the consignment will be held at a quarantine approved premises at the importers expense whilst microbiological analysis is undertaken (testing is to be conducted by the National Measurement Institute (NMI)).

7. If live insects are found during inspection, the consignment will be:

   1. held pending identification by a Department of Agriculture entomologist and treated using an appropriate method, or
      

   2. exported, or
      

   3. destroyed.
      

   If other contaminants such as soil, weed seeds, sticks, or faecal matter are found on inspection, the consignment must be held, and the contaminants must be removed or treated via a method approved by the Department, if possible. Alternatively, the goods must be exported or destroyed.

8. Under the Quarantine Service Fees Determination 2005, fees are payable to the Department of Agriculture for all services. A list of all quarantine & export fees is available on the Department of Agriculture's website.

9. Non-commodity information requirements for imported cargo also apply, please refer to the BICON case Non-Commodity Cargo Clearance.

Warnings and Information Notices


Containers, timber packing, pallets or dunnage associated with the consignment will be subject to inspection and treatment on arrival, unless certified as having been treated by a Department of Agriculture approved method.


All documentation presented to the Department to assist in determining the level of biosecurity risk posed by transportation pathways and packaging must also meet the requirements of the non-commodity case.