Date of issue: 27 June 2024
Date of effect: Immediate
Related MAAs: 2024-08, 2024-10, 2024-12, 2024-13, 2024-15, 2024-16
Attention
- Egg Exporters - Australian
- Egg Export establishments
- Licensed exporters
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Central and Regional offices
This Market Access Advice (MAA) updates related MAAs referred to above which provided information on certification changes as a result of the high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) incidents in New South Wales and Victoria. This MAA provides an update to import conditions for poultry and poultry products to Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka.
Disease situation
Tracing and surveillance activities continue across the states of Victoria and New South Wales. To date, HPAI (H7 strain) has been eight infected premises confirmed in control areas in Victoria and two infected premises in control areas in NSW. Further information can be found on the NSW Government Department of Primary Industries website, Victorian Government Agriculture Department website and the Australian National Pest and Disease Outbreaks website.
Certificate changes
Further to previous MAAs, some importing country requirements have changed in relation to HPAI. Please refer bolded entries in Attachment 1 for these changes.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea have agreed to accept heat treated, rendered, or mechanically deboned meat (MDM) poultry products that are derived from outside of the control areas for HPAI. New certificate attestations have been agreed to allow this trade to occur for products sourced from outside control areas. See Attachment 1 for more details.
MICOR will be updated to reflect these changes.
Exporters that wish to apply for a health certificate for these products to be exported to PNG may apply through the department’s Export Documentation (EXDOC) system (or for the E242 certificate a manual certificate through Assessment Services Exports) to export eligible poultry and poultry products. The request for permit (RFP) must include the following exporter declaration:
The products in this consignment comply with sourcing provisions that meet the specific importing country requirements for avian influenza. This declaration is supported by records.
For electronic certificates, this declaration will need to be made via EXDOC. For applications for manual certificates, this declaration will need to be provided in writing on exporter/manufacturer letterhead to ASE when submitting the application.
Applications will be assessed based on all information and declarations provided. The department may need to seek further confirmation relating to this declaration before a certificate can be issued.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has written to the department to notify of updated veterinary health requirements for the import of frozen poultry meat. The new requirements include country/zone freedom from notifiable avian influenza. The affected certificate is listed in Attachment 1. Where exporters consider their product meets importing country requirements the exporter may contact the department via the EXDOC Help Desk on (02) 6272 4800 for meat, inedible meat products, skins and hides, or on (02) 6272 4700 for eggs, to apply for a certificate. For example, this may be where slaughter/packing dates predate the beginning of the HPAI outbreak (17 May 2024) for particular markets. Note that affected certification is not currently available through EXDOC/NEXDOC.
The department is working closely with industry to prioritise negotiations with key poultry and poultry product markets to minimise further trade disruptions. The department continues to engage key markets through its agricultural counsellor network to expedite these discussions. Updates will be provided in future MAAs.
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Further information
The information provided above is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.
Contact ExportStandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.