18 July 2023
Who does this notice affect?
Importers (including air and sea passengers and crew) of fresh mustard stick and fresh betel leaf (Piper betel), freight forwarders, brokers, biosecurity industry participants who hold an approved arrangement, Pathway Operations – Air & Sea Travellers and Detector Dog handlers, Pathway Operations – Mail, Gateway Facilities, Pathway Operations – Cargo Operations (Inspection, Assessment and Client Contact Group).
What has changed?
The department is reducing the maximum weight of fresh mustard stick and fresh betel leaves (Piper betel) allowed for inspection at airports, seaports and mail centres, from 2kg to 500grams.
Individuals importing mustard stick or betel leaves as passenger baggage (through airports and seaports), which exceed 500grams (net weight) per commodity, are responsible for organising inspection of goods at an approved arrangement facility (Class 2.4 Approved Arrangement (AA) or Class 20.0AA department regional office) before release. Alternatively, the options of export or disposal will be available for part of, or the whole commodity.
Mail consignments over 500g will be exported or destroyed.
The importer of the goods will be responsible for paying fees associated with inspection at a Class 2.4AA or 20.0AA.
Importers can use a customs broker to help with these steps.
The change applies to goods arriving into Australia from 1 August 2023.
To minimise delays, additional costs, and to prevent your goods from being exported or destroyed, don’t import or send mail quantities weighing more than 500 grams. If travelling, declare it and present the entire amount to a biosecurity officer for inspection when you arrive in Australia. If mailing, pack the goods in clean, new and secure packaging and complete the postal declaration label accurately for inspection.
All other import conditions as outlined on the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) for betel leaves and mustard stick will remain unchanged. This includes the requirement for each consignment to arrive with a valid phytosanitary certificate and be clean and free of biosecurity risk material.
Please click here for further advice on importing fresh produce for commercial purposes.
The intent of the change is to better address biosecurity risks associated with fresh mustard stick/betel leaves for human consumption, and to enable resources at airports, seaports and mail centres to be utilised more appropriately, while reducing congestion at these locations. Larger consignments will be managed at Approved Arrangements in line with other fresh horticultural commodities.
This change DOES NOT apply to betel nut (fruit of the areca palm Areca catechu).
Further information
- For additional information please contact Plant Import Operations Branch by email at imports@aff.gov.au or phone 1800 900 090.