Date of issue: 29 September 2021
Date of effect: Immediate
Reference Number: MAA2021- 13
Attention:
- Industries—Industry bodies – Australian Honey Bee Industry Council
- Exporters
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment — Central and Regional offices
Purpose
This Market Access Advice provides information relating to new attestations required on health certificates accompanying honey of Australian origin and honey blended with imported honey to be exported to Malaysia. This market access advice applies to both edible and inedible products.
Summary of key points
- Honey (edible and inedible) imported into Malaysia must be accompanied by export documentation which demonstrates the absence of chloramphenicol. This applies to both:
- honey of Australian origin only, and
- Australian honey blended with imported honey.
- For honey of Australian origin only, the department is able to attest that chloramphenicol is prohibited for use on food producing animals including bees. No additional certificate of analysis is required.
- For Australian honey blended with imported honey, a certificate of analysis from a NATA accredited laboratory demonstrating no trace of chloramphenicol is required to be presented for border clearance.
- To clarify the differences between honey of Australian origin and imported honey, the department has negotiated with Malaysia’s Ministry of Health, new endorsements on ‘Declaration and Certificate as to Condition’ (EX188B certificate) for both types of honey.
New endorsements are as follows:
Honey of Australian Origin only
This product is 100% Australian origin honey. No certificate of analysis is required.
Based on the registration, approval and compliance activities of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicine Authority, the certifying authority has no reason to suspect that the above product contains chloramphenicol.
Australian honey blended with imported honey
This product is Australian honey blended with imported honey. A Certificate of Analysis from a NATA accredited laboratory is attached which shows no trace of chloramphenicol was detected.
Further information
Contact ExportStandards@awe.gov.au if you have any queries.
The information provided in this advice 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.