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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Export
  4. Controlled export goods
  5. Plants and plant products

Sidebar first - Export

  • Controlled export goods
    • Dairy products
      • Step-by-step guide
      • Information directory for dairy manufacturers and exporters
      • Export facilitator service
      • Dairy exporters
        • Dairy exporter welcome pack
          • Your dairy export journey
            • Your approved arrangement
            • Importing country requirements
          • Do I need export registration?
            • How to apply to become export registered
          • Forms and templates
          • Resources for dairy exporters
          • Frequently asked questions
        • Dairy product codes
        • Export quotas
      • Export registered establishments
        • Approved arrangements
          • Approved arrangement checklist
        • Audits
        • Exporting dairy products to China
        • Microbiological testing
        • Raw milk temperatures
        • List of dairy establishments
        • Declarations of compliance
        • Transferring goods between establishments
        • EU requirements for dairy products
        • Water testing requirements
      • Forms
      • Industry notices
        • All dairy notices and advices
      • Resources
        • Heat treatment equipment and processes
        • Milk residue survey
      • Dairy Export Industry Consultative Committee
      • Returning products to Australia
      • Recall of exported food
      • Reconsideration and review of decisions
    • Eggs and egg products
      • Step-by-step guide
      • Exporters
        • Egg product codes
      • Export registered establishment
        • Approved arrangements
        • Audits
        • Declarations of compliance
        • Product standards guideline
        • List of egg establishments
        • Transferring goods between establishments
      • Forms
      • Industry notices
        • All egg notices
      • Resources
      • Returning products to Australia
      • Recall of exported food
      • Reconsideration and review of decisions
    • Fish and fish products
      • Step-by-step guide
      • Seafood Export Facilitator service
      • Seafood video resources
      • Exporters
        • Fish product codes
      • Export registered establishments
        • Abalone testing requirements
          • PST in Tasmanian Abalone: Export Eligibility
        • Approved arrangements
        • Audits
        • Shellfish export standards
          • Exporting shellfish – export approved shellfish harvest areas
        • Declarations of compliance
        • Product standards guidelines
        • List of fish establishments
        • Transferring goods between establishments
      • Forms
      • Industry notices
        • 2025
        • 2024
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
      • Market access advice
        • 2025
        • 2024
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
        • 2020
      • Resources
      • Returning products to Australia
      • Recall of exported food
      • Reconsideration and review of decisions
    • Non-prescribed goods
      • Exporting cosmetics
      • Export assurance reform
      • Export listed establishment
        • Audits
        • Transfer certificates
      • Exporters
        • Determining a non-prescribed good
      • Forms
        • Application for export listing
        • Application for government export certificate
        • Declaration and certificate as to condition
        • Continuation or amendment of export listing
      • Industry notices
        • 2025
        • 2024
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
      • Market access advice notices
        • 2025
        • 2024
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
        • 2020
      • Step-by-step guide
    • Kangaroo meat
    • Live animals
      • Livestock
        • Livestock exporters
          • Become a livestock exporter
          • Exporting a livestock consignment
          • Export licence
          • Approved Arrangements
          • Approved export program
          • Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS)
            • Apply, vary and maintain your ESCAS
          • Independent observers
          • Exemptions
          • TRACE
        • Accredited veterinarians (AAVs)
          • Current AAVs
          • Become an AAV
        • Registered establishments
        • Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock
        • Forms for exporting livestock
        • Phase out of live sheep exports by sea
          • Transition assistance
          • Support services
          • Co-design process
          • Transition Advocate
          • Decision and how it was made
          • News and updates
        • Reforming live animal exports
        • Regulating live animal exports
          • Independent observer reports
          • Published regulatory decisions
        • Compliance investigations
          • Notifiable mortality incident reports
          • ESCAS investigations
      • Horses
        • Forms
      • Companion animals and other live animals
        • Forms
        • Information for veterinarians
          • Veterinarians preparing companion animals for export
      • Reproductive material
      • Animal welfare in livestock exports
        • Livestock export welfare reviews
          • Northern Hemisphere summer review
          • Heat and cold stress in Bos taurus cattle
        • Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock updates
      • Statistics
        • Livestock exports by air
        • All Livestock Exports
        • All non-livestock exports
        • Reports to Parliament
        • All reproductive material exports
      • Export Advisory Notices
      • Contact us
    • Meat and meat products
      • Exporting halal red meat and red meat products from Australia
      • ELMER 3 Electronic Legislation, Manuals and Essential References
        • Extended consultation on cost recovery of exports certification
        • Extended consultation on cost recovery of exports certification
        • Consultation on cost recovery of export certification
        • Independent review of the cost of export certification
        • European Union animal welfare requirements
        • European Union Cattle Accreditation Scheme (EUCAS)
          • EUCAS: Farms
          • EUCAS: Feedlots
          • EUCAS Questions and Answers
          • EUCAS: Legislative basis
          • EUCAS: Saleyards
        • Forms: Meat Export
        • Independent Employer of AAOs Accreditation Scheme
          • Fact Sheet for Abattoir Owners or Operators
          • Fact Sheet for Authorised Officers (AAO's)
          • Fact Sheet for Independent AAO Employers
          • Independent Employer of AAOs Accreditation Scheme (Export meat and meat products)
        • Meat notices
          • 2025
          • 2024
          • 2023
          • 2022
          • 2021
          • 2020
      • Australian meat export statistics
        • Red meat export statistics 1997-2012
        • Red meat export statistics 2013
        • Red meat export statistics 2014
        • Red meat export statistics 2015
        • Red meat export statistics 2016
        • Red meat export statistics 2017
        • Red meat export statistics 2018
        • Red meat export statistics 2019
        • Red meat export statistics 2020
        • Red meat export statistics 2021
        • Red meat export statistics 2022
        • Red meat export statistics 2023
        • Red meat export statistics 2024
        • Red meat export statistics 2025
    • Organic and biodynamic products
      • Step-by-step guide
      • Exporters
      • Organic operators
      • Approved certifying bodies
        • Apply to become an approved certifying body
      • Organic notices
      • National Standard for Organic and Bio-Dynamic Produce
        • National Standard submissions register
      • The National Standard Advisory Committee (NSAC)
    • Plants and plant products
      • Plant export legislation
      • Norfolk Island plant exports
      • Authorised Officers
        • Job functions and training
          • BVI3001: Export inspection of empty bulk vessels
          • ECI3001: Export inspection of empty containers
          • HOR3002: Export inspection of fruit and vegetables
          • HAS3001: Export inspection of hay and straw
          • HEP4001: Export inspection of horticulture protocol
          • FOP3002: Export inspection of logs
          • GSEP4001: Export inspection of prescribed grain and plant products protocol
          • PGG3001: Export inspection of prescribed grain and plant products
          • FOP3003: Export inspection of processed forest products
          • RBC3001: Export inspection of raw baled cotton
          • FOP3001: Export inspection of woodchips
          • TRE3001: Export phytosanitary treatments
        • Public Register of Authorised Officers
        • Request for Plant Exports Inspection Appointment
      • Certificates, declarations and forms
      • Industry Consultative Committees
      • Contact Us
      • Industry Notices
        • 2025
        • 2024
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
      • Step-by-step guide for exporters
      • Exporters of wood and wood fibre products
      • Horticulture Accredited properties
      • Approved Australian horticulture export protocol treatment facilities
      • Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) Plants
      • Plant Export Operations Manual
      • Plant Exports Management System (PEMS)
      • Returning products to Australia
      • Small Horticultural Products Registered Establishment (SHPRE)
      • Busting Congestion for Plant Exports

Exporting plants and plant products

Australian exports and the economy

Agriculture makes an important contribution to the Australian economy. Around two-thirds of our farm, fish and forestry production—worth around $52 billion—is exported to more than 100 countries annually. Australia’s plant industries generate more than $12 billion in export revenue for the economy.

In 2018, the National Farmers Federation published its 2030 Roadmap to achieve $100 billion in farm gate output by 2030.

We have worked with internal and external stakeholders, the latter represented by the Horticulture and Grain and Plant Products Export Industry Consultative Committees (HEICC and GPPEICC) to develop a vision and strategic plan to support the plant export industry in achieving this goal over the next decade.

The Plant Export Operations Strategic Plan 2020–2030 presents our vision for 2030, what it will look like when we achieve that vision and the key strategies that will help us get there.

Download

Plant Export Operations Strategic Plan 2020-2030 (PDF 1.0 MB)
Plant Export Operations Strategic Plan 2020-2030 (DOCX 1.1 MB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Why do we inspect products prior to export?

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry administers export laws to ensure that exported products meet all Australian and importing country requirements. This maintains the integrity of our exports, Australia’s positive relationships with trading partners and our reputation as a reliable exporter of safe and high-quality products.

Laws and regulations

The department regulates plant and plant product exports and the inspections of empty containers and vessels through the following legislation:

  • Export Control Act 2020
  • Export Control (Plants and Plant Product) Rules 2021

What plants and plant products do we export?

Australia exports a diverse range of plants and plant products to many importing countries. These include (but are not limited to) fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, plants, cut flowers, nuts, timber, hay and straw, raw baled cotton, logs, timber, seeds and grains.

Export inspection and certification

Plants or plant products prescribed (listed) under Australian export laws are controlled by the department and may require an export permit, inspection for compliance by an accredited Plant Export Authorised Officer (AO), and certification before they can be exported.

Prescribed products must also be packed, treated (if required) and inspected at an establishment registered with the department for the export of plants and plant products from Australia.

  • The following products are prescribed and regulated under Australian plant export law:
  • some grain and legumes (including barley, canola, chickpeas, dried field peas, faba beans, lentils, lupins, mung beans, oats, sorghum, soybeans, split vetch).
  • all fresh fruit
  • all fresh vegetables (including mushrooms and sprouts)
  • any other plants and plant products where an importing country requires a phytosanitary (plant health) certificate or any other official certificate (this may include nuts, fodder, timber products, nursery stock, tissue cultures, cotton; and other grains, seeds and legumes).

For more information about prescribed goods, please visit the department’s Exporting from Australia webpage.

Guide to exporting plants and plant products

To export plants and plant products, there are a few steps exporters will need to complete. For more information, please see the Exporting plants and plant products: A step–by–step guide for Australian exporters.

Fees and charges

The department provides export services to industry under cost recovery arrangements. Costs are recovered through fees and charges that are imposed for the complete range of plant export inspection and certification activities.

This includes time spent on preparation and completion of export inspections, audits, treatment monitoring and registrations, and the issuance of all export documentation. In some cases costs are also recovered by means of a quantity charge per tonne.

For full details, see the department’s charging guidelines.

Service charter

The department’s Client Service Charter and Service Standards outline our commitment to our clients. They describe our service responsibilities and the standard of service you can expect from our staff. We strive to provide and maintain a high level of service by stating necessary lead times for the functions related to export inspection and certification.

Keeping up-to-date

The department issues Industry Advice Notices (IANs) to inform exporters of changes and updates affecting the export of plants and plant products.

You can register to automatically receive IANs relevant to your business, or you can check the Industry Advice Notices webpage for updates.

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

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Page last updated: 12 July 2024

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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