Alerts

The department advises regional officers, importers and customs brokers that conditions for straw and cereal straw articles and products have been updated to include a new BICON pathway for commercially manufactured and highly processed articles.

Commercially manufactured articles (e.g. straw hats, home décor and fashion articles) that have undergone some combination of mechanical processing, chemical processing, boiling, drying and kiln drying will no longer require an import permit.

Presentation of acceptable documentation to demonstrate the level of processing may result in the release of the consignment. The consignment is subject to random inspection to verify freedom from biosecurity risk material.

Please note that these conditions apply only to the products such as commercially manufactured home décor, fashion articles and straw hats. Items such as straw brooms, straw bedding and raw straw articles still require an import permit.

It is the importer’s responsibility to identify and ensure they have complied with all requirements of any other regulatory and advisory bodies prior to and after importation.