Sandalwood

Country
Malaysia (MY)
Scientific Name
Santalum spicatum
Group
Logs
End use
Processing
NPPO Details
Plant Biosecurity Division, Department of Agriculture Malaysia
Relevant Web Addresses
http://www.doa.gov.my/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit Yes
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Yes
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


A copy of the import permit must be presented to an Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


It is the exporter’s responsibility to ensure that the phytosanitary certificate is issued within 14 days of the consignment being exported from Australia.

Refer to the departure date and inspection date in the Request for Permit.


All logs must be debarked (with a tolerance or allowance of up to 5% of hit and miss bark).

It is the exporter’s responsibility to ensure that the phytosanitary certificate is issued within 14 days of the consignment being exported from Australia.

Refer to the departure date and inspection date in the Request for Permit.


The Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021, require an export licence issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for any exports of two tonnes or more of:

  • woodchips;
  • wood in the round (i.e. logs);
  • wood with a cross-sectional area of at least 225 square centimetres

These are considered 'prescribed goods' under the Export Control (Wood and Woodchips) Rules 2021. 

A licence is not required for the above listed wood and woodchips if:
  • the wood or woodchips are sourced from an area covered by a Regional Forest Agreement (RFA). Details regarding the areas covered by RFAs can be found here: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/forestry/policies/rfa.
  • the wood or woodchips are derived from trees harvested outside Australian territory, including those transiting through Australia.
  • the wood or woodchips are sourced from a plantation in a State with an approved code of practice for the establishment, management and harvesting of all plantations in that State.

If an export licence is required, it is the responsibility of exporters to obtain a licence to export prescribed wood or woodchips prior to export.

Exporters can find information on how to obtain an export licence for prescribed wood or woodchips on the departments website - Exports of unprocessed wood and woodchips (wood export licensing) - DAFF.

Any enquires on what is classed as prescribed wood or woodchips should be directed to: wood.export@aff.gov.au, or call (02) 6272 4353.

The only responsibility authorised officers have in relation to the export licences for unprocessed wood is to inform unprocessed wood exporters of the possible requirement to hold a licence to export unprocessed wood.


Malaysian import permits may indicate that the following text be included as an additional declaration: "The issuance of this PC is based on the Malaysia IP reference number MAQXXXXXX."

  • Australian phytosanitary certificates cannot be issued with additional declarations that reference import permit numbers.
  • In negotiations with the Malaysian NPPO, it has been agreed that the import permit number indicated in the import permit section of Australian phytosanitary certificates is sufficient for meeting this requirement.
  • No text stating the import permit number in either the additional declaration section or the additional product description section is required for clearance, regardless of the statement on Malaysian import permits regarding import permit number printing requirements.
Explanation of the endorsements

Endorsement 5502:
  • Visual inspection by Authorised Officer is sufficient to endorse freedom from live insects

Endorsement 7839:

  • Visual inspection by Authorised Officer is sufficient to endorse freedom from Eucalyptus borers (Phorocantha spp).
All logs must be treated with either:

Fumigated with methyl bromide at:

  • 64 grm/m3 for 24 hours at 21 degrees Celsius or above;

OR

  • 72 grm/m3 for 24 hours at 16 – 20 degrees Celsius;

OR

  • 80 grm/m3 for 24 hours at 11 – 15 degrees Celsius;


OR

Fumigated with Sulphuryl fluoride at 64 grm/m3 for 24 hours at 21 degrees Celsius or above;

OR

Fumigated with Ethylene oxide under initial minimum vacuum of 50 kilopascals at 1500 grm/m3 for 4 hours at 50 degrees Celsius;

OR

Fumigated with Ethylene oxide under initial minimum vacuum of 50 kilopascals at 1200 grm/m3 for 5 hours at 50 degrees Celsius;

OR

Fumigated with Ethylene oxide under initial minimum vacuum of 50 kilopascals at 1500 grm/m3 for 24 hours at 21 degrees Celsius;

OR

Fumigated with Phosphine at 5 grm/m3 for 120 hours;

OR

Fumigated with C2N2 (Ethanedinitrile (EDN) / Cyanogen) at 100 grm/m3 for 24 hours

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the department at time of authorisation.

Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.
Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 5502)
1) Using official inspection and testingprocedures the consignment was found free of live insects.

Option 2 (EXDOC Endorsement 7839)
1) The consignment was inspected and found free from Eucalyptus borers (Phoracantha spp).
Import permit dated 13 September 2018, 21 April 2022 and 8 June 2026.
07/07/2026 - Endorsement 7839 added.
09/04/2025 - Updated treatment details to allow post-inspection fumigation of sandalwood consignments.
04/02/2025 - Updated general requirements due to legislation changes.
05/11/2024 - Endorsement 6955 removed.
25/08/2022 - Updated general requirements to state no text of import permit number in additional product description field.
06/06/2022 - Addition of endorsement 6955.
16/05/2022 - Added a synonym for the fumigant cyanogen.
10/11/2021 - Updated general requirements due to legislation changes.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026