Manual of Importing
Country Requirements

Requirements set by Australia's agricultural export trading partners

This website sets out the known requirements that exporters and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Department) must meet for products and commodities to be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

Exporters must meet requirements for products and commodities to be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

Exporters must also comply with the Export Control Act and associated Rules when exporting commodities from Australia.

For information on how to export from Australia, visit Exporting from Australia.

Notice – China trade (updated 15 October 2021)

Import delays for product into China

Exporters/ export-registered establishments are advised that some shipments have been delayed on entry into China, leading to commercial losses. While the Department will continue to facilitate market access and seek to ensure importing country requirements are up to date and accurate, the Department encourages exporters to fully consider their own risk and potential losses. Exporters should ensure that they have independently confirmed relevant importing country requirements. Exporters are urged to seek advice from importers on potential for disruption to the clearance of their shipment.

New Chinese requirements for imported food and overseas food establishments

China has new requirements for imported food and overseas food establishments that will take effect from 1 January 2022. These requirements affect all manufacturers and storage facilities exporting food to China.

For further information refer to:

  • Plants Export Industry Advice Notice: IAN 2021–41 – Plant Export Operations – Updated requirements for food manufacturers exporting to China

  • Non-prescribed goods Market Access Advices: MAA 2021–07, MAA 2021-14 and MAA2021-15 – China: Dairy, fish, honey and edible non-prescribed goods: Chinese requirements for imported food and overseas food establishments from 1 January 2022

  • Meat Market Access Advice MAA2129* (PDF 270 KB) – China: Meat: New Chinese requirements for imported food and overseas food establishments from 1 January 2022

*Requires login to Micor meat. Exporters and affiliated industries can apply for a login.

The Department is seeking implementation guidance from China and is working on processes for implementation. Updated advice will be provided as soon as possible. For enquiries, email exportstandards@awe.gov.au

Certification alert – Avian Influenza (updated 12 August 2021)

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Meat

Includes fresh meat, processed meat, and animal by-products such as skins, hides, petfood, rendered products and technical products

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Dairy

Includes milk, milk powder products, butter, cream, cheese and other processed dairy products

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Plants

Includes fruit, vegetables, nursery stock, cut flowers and foliage, seeds, grains, stockfeed and timber

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Fish

Includes finfish, other seafood such as bivalves, crustaceans, echinoderms, gastropods, cephalopods, tunicates and crocodile meat

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Live animals

Includes livestock, companion animals, horses, zoo animals, birds, hatching eggs, fish, bees and other invertebrates, and reproductive material

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Eggs

Includes shell eggs and egg products

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Non-prescribed goods

Includes honey and bee by-products, and processed foods

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Organics

Includes organics equivalence arrangements