Guides for exporting prescribed plant and plant products

How to gain accreditation for a property to produce plant and plant products for export

If you operate or manage a farm or packhouse that produces or packs horticultural goods for export, some importing countries will require you to gain accreditation for your property.

See the key steps, glossary and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for registering an establishment for the export of prescribed horticultural products.

Once you have the necessary approvals, find out how to export plant and plant products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research, however consultation with the importer or relevant authority is also encouraged to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Apply for organic certification

If the export is to be sold as organic or bio-dynamic, your property must be certified organic by an approved certifying body. This shows that it complies with the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce.

• Certification granted

Apply to have property accredited

Industry Advice Notices will call for applications to be submitted through online industry systems or as manual application forms submitted to us prior to annual export seasons commencing.

To receive notification when applications open for export to specific markets, register for Industry Advice Notices through our subscription centre.

• Property accredited

Accredited property listing

For some markets, there is a requirement to be listed with importing countries. For specific importing country requirements, visit Micor.

• Included in overseas listing

Maintain property accreditation

Property accreditation will last for 12 months, or until the start of the next growing season, whichever comes first. The Industry Advice Notices will alert you of the application windows if you wish to continue producing goods for export.

Audit compliance

We will conduct an audit of the property to check compliance with the performance standards at least once per season. For more information, refer to the performance standards in the Plant Export Operations Manual.

If your establishment is certified organic, the approved certifying body will also audit it at least once yearly.

• Your property can be used to produce plant and plant products for export

Once you have these required approvals in place, and for as long as you maintain those approvals, goods can be sourced from your property for export.

Find out how to register an establishment to process, prepare or store plant and plant products for export.

Find out how to become an exporter of plant and plant products.

How to register an establishment to process, prepare or store plant and plant products for export

To process, prepare or store plant and plant products for export, you must have specific approvals in place.

See the key steps, glossary and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for registering an establishment for the export of prescribed plant and plant products.

Once you have the necessary approvals, find out how to export plant and plant products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research, however consultation with the importer or relevant authority is also encouraged to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Apply for organic certification

If the export goods are to be labelled or described as organic or bio-dynamic, your operation must be certified organic by an approved certifying body. This shows that it complies with the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce.

• Certification granted

Apply for establishment registration

Your establishment must be registered with us if it intended to be used for the preparation of prescribed goods for export. As the occupier you must apply for registration by submitting an EX26a form when you can demonstrate that your establishment meets the performance standard.

If you wish to conduct any registered operations or functions, you will need to submit an EX26d form in conjunction.

• Establishment registered

As the occupier you must apply to have one of your employees appointed as a plant export Authorised Officer (AO). AOs can undertake some of the assessments of goods. You may apply for accreditation through the Plant Export Management System (PEMS).

Registered establishment listing

For some markets, there is a requirement to be listed with importing countries. For specific importing country requirements, visit Micor.

• Included in overseas listing

Maintain establishment registration

Under Australia’s export legislation, if there are any significant changes to your establishment (such as a change to the management, product, procedures or technology being used), as the occupier you must apply to vary your establishment registration by submitting an EX26b form. For more information, refer to the Management of plant export registered establishments guideline.

Audit compliance

While registered, we will conduct periodic audits of your registered establishment. As the occupier you must demonstrate use of the procedures and processes required per the performance standard.

If your registered establishment is on an overseas listing, it may be subject to additional audits.

If organic certified, the approved certifying body will audit your establishment at least once yearly.

• Your establishment can be used to process, prepare or store plant and plant products for export

Once you have these required approvals in place, and for as long as you maintain those approvals, your establishment can be used to process, prepare or store plant and plant products for export.

Find out how to become an exporter of plant and plant products.

How to become an exporter of plant and plant products

To export plant and plant products, you must have specific approvals in place before you submit a consignment application.

See the key steps, glossary and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for registering an establishment for the export of prescribed plant and plant products.

Once you have the necessary approvals, find out how to export plant and plant products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research, however consultation with the importer or relevant authority is also encouraged to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Register with our department systems

You or your agent must be registered as an EXDOC user to produce export documentation.

You or your agent should be registered with the Plant Export Management System (PEMS) to support the assessment process.

• You become registered with us
• You are ready to start the consignment application process

Once you have these required approvals in place, and for as long as you maintain those approvals, you can source goods for export, and submit a consignment application, known as a Notice of Intention to Export (NOI).

Find out how to export plant and plant products.

There are specific approvals that must be in place before plant and plant products can be exported from Australia.

Before starting this process, depending on your role, you will need to meet additional requirements.

More information on these roles and requirements.

See the key steps, glossary, and links to relevant information. These will help you understand the requirements for exporting a consignment of prescribed plant and plant products.

Fees and charges

Fees will apply for some of these steps. The costs will vary depending on the method of export. More information on our fees is available in the Charging Guidelines.

Determine importing country requirements

You should research the importing country requirements to ensure products and commodities can be accepted for import into specific overseas countries.

The exporter will need to ensure that the product sourced for export will meet any specific importing country requirements. This may include ensuring that the manufacturer of the product can confirm the product will meet requirements for the specific importing country and/or that the establishment where the goods have been prepared is listed with the importing country (for example, EU and China).

We maintain the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) as a resource to assist in this research, however consultation with the importer or relevant authority is also encouraged to determine their specific requirements.

Austrade's Market Search Tool may also provide additional information on the market you wish to enter.

Submit your notice of intention to export

Once the required approvals are in place, the exporter or their agent must notify us of their intention to export (also referred to as notice of intention or NOI) by submitting a Request for Permit (RFP) through EXDOC.

Apply for wood export licence

For consignments of prescribed wood or woodchips weighing over two tonnes, the exporter must have a wood export licence. These licences are typically issued on a per consignment basis.

Find out how to apply Exports of unprocessed wood and woodchips.

Request organic goods certificate

If the goods are to be labelled organic or bio-dynamic (or similar), the exporter must request an organic goods certificate per consignment from an approved certifying body.

Prepare documentation

Some supporting documentation must be ready and valid at the time of the inspection. Further guidance is available in:

• The Supporting documents for plant exports guideline
• The Plant Export Document and Treatments Checklist
• Micor.

Assessment of a consignment

Products must be assessed (inspected or treated under supervision) by a plant export Authorised Officer (AO) prior to export.

Treat products

Products may need to be treated before inspection. Treatments include a range of processes targeted at the control or eradication of pests.

Pack products

Products may be pre-packed before inspection if the packaging can be removed in a way that allows a plant export Authorised Officer (AO) to assess the products using a method approved under Australian plant export rules. Alternatively, products may be packed after the inspection.

Move products

If any horticulture products need to be moved after they have been prepared for inspection, either within the establishment or from one registered establishment to another, the phytosanitary security of the product must be maintained until goods have left Australia.

Maintain phytosanitary security of goods

The registered establishment must maintain the phytosanitary status of the product until it is received by the importing country. Information on maintaining phytosanitary security of horticulture products is available on the Plant Export Operations Manual.

• Export permit issued

The exporter is issued an export permit which is required for all consignments leaving Australia. The export permit is issued electronically via EXDOC.

• Certificates issued

The exporter receives a phytosanitary or any other certificate required by the importing country through EXDOC.

If the exporter wishes to export goods labelled organic or bio-dynamic (or similar), they must receive an organic goods certificate prior to exporting their consignment. Once the approved certifying body has confirmed that the goods have been certified to the National Standard for Organic and Bio-dynamic Produce, the exporter is manually issued the organic goods certificate.

• Consignment shipped

The consignment is outbound from Australia.

Mitigate and follow up issues

Where an incident occurs with a consignment that has left Australia, we actively work with the exporter to make a new plan.