How Failure to Meet Importing Country Requirements May Affect Your Export Business?

It is a normal practice for exporters to understand and follow the requirements that the importing destinations prescribe. Especially in the case of commodities in the category of plant and animal-based products, it is mandatory to meet these requirements. Why? It should be noted that goods in these categories, if infested, can carry pests and infections along. Due to this, it is necessary for an exporter to ensure no such possibilities via set procedures and protocols.

In order to achieve it, exporters must obtain health/phytosanitary certificates to certify that the goods being exported are free from every kind of infestation. However, one needs to be careful to exactly meet the importing country prescriptions while doing so. If that doesn’t happen, the exporter may face the consequences like:

• Rejection of exported goods: Because of any deficiency in complying with the required standards, the importer can deny to accept the goods. In that case, two things may happen. First, the authorities may take the decision to destroy the entire consignment. Second, the importing country may return it to the exporter. It can be daunting to bear such a big loss that includes the costs of bringing back the goods.

• Loss of reputation: Apart from the monetary losses, it can severely affect your business’s reputation and reliability. In the long run, you may lose some truly profitable export opportunities. Imagine how big the loss may be if it happens more than once that your goods get rejected.

• Now, the question is how to avoid these circumstances and be efficient in abiding to what your importer demands. Among many steps, here are the three most important ones to follow:

• Firstly, devote enough time to read what the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (MICoR) suggests. It is a database of importing country requirements for different types of commodities in the categories like dairy, fish, meat, horticulture produce, grains and so on. You can find it with the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The database elaborates in detail about the protocols, certificates and standards as different countries expect while importing from Australia.

• Secondly, talk to your importer and obtain important inputs from him or her. Though MICoR is a reliable source of information in this regard, it may lack updated information. With the help of the importer, you can directly refer to the prescriptions from the importing country’s National Plant Protection Office (NPPO). Doing so would make it simple to follow the protocols and prepare error-free documents.

• Lastly, pay extra attention while preparing various documents required supporting your claim about the goods being infestation-free. The next section provides examples of some of the important documents you would require.

About Various Documents

While applying for the export permit and health/phytosanitary certificates, here are some of the documents that you must keep ready:

• A declaration of compliance which attests that the goods intended for export are apt for human consumption and comply with the requirements of the country you are exporting to.

• Transfer declaration which testifies that the goods were securely stored and transported from one establishment to another. In other words, the goods were handled expertly and remained free from infestations at various stages.

• In addition, you may need separate documents if you are exporting organic/biodynamic products.

Besides, it is an important step to prepare your goods for inspection. When you apply for an export permit, the Department of Agriculture would appoint an inspection officer to inspect and testify that the goods are actually in accordance with the importing country requirements. Make sure that you follow the exact procedures and standards to get through this stage.