Forest Products Export Standards - Phytosanitary Requirements of Australia
Disclaimer
The information in this standard is provided on the following basis. The phytosanitary requirements found in this standard may be used as the basis of export certification. However, requirements may be changed by importing countries at any time at short notice or with no notice to New Zealand. This information is provided strictly on the basis that the Crown, the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry, its statutory officers, employees, agents and all other persons responsible for or associated with the compilation, writing, editing, approval or publication of the information:
1. disclaim any and all responsibility for any inaccuracy, error, omission, lateness, or any other kind of inadequacy, deficiency or flaw in, or in relation to, the information; and
2. without limiting (1) above, fully exclude any and all liability of any kind on the part of all of them, to any person or entity that chooses to rely on this information
Compliance with this standard is not to be taken as a guarantee that any particular goods will be granted access to any overseas market.
Last Updated: 31 October 2011
- Arhopalus ferus Flight Season
- Logs
- Wood/ Timber - Sawn
- Wood/ Timber - Chips
- Wood Products - Plywood/ LVL/ Veneer
- Wood Products - Reconstituted
- Wood Products - Manufactured
- Wood Products - Packaging
- Wood Products - Artefacts
- Bark
1. Arhopalus ferus Flight Season
1.1 Arhopalus ferus Flight Season Status
The 2011/2012 Arhopalus ferus flight season OPENS for ALL New Zealand ports as of dusk Monday 31 October 2011 ( Please ensure that you check for official dusk time at you port of loading e.g. in local newspapers). Consignments loaded after this time are subject to the Arhopalus ferus flight season requirements.
At commencement of the flight season (i.e. dusk of 31 October 2011):
1. Consignments already loaded onto vessels are exempt from fumigation.
(MAF will inform AQIS of any vessel that had consignments of timber loaded on the 30 and 31 October 2011. AQIS can then subject these vessels to increased surveillance.)
2. Consignments already loaded and sealed into containers are exempt from fumigation.
(MAF will inform AQIS of any vessel that had consignments of timber loaded on the 30 and 31 October 2011. AQIS can then subject these vessels to increased surveillance.)
1.2 Arhopalus ferus Flight Season Requirements
During the Arhopalus ferus flight season, all regular commodity regulations specified by AQIS (Australian Quarantine Inspection Service) will remain in place, please refer to http://www.aqis.gov.au/icon32/asp/ex_querycontent.asp 
for your commodity requirements.
In addition to the regular commodity specific regulations the following requirements must also be met during the Arhopalus flight season:
1.2.1 Treatment
Timber products not including panel products or timber mouldings must be treated in accordance with section 1.2.1 i) below.
Panel products and timber mouldings (without plastic wrapping) must be treated in accordance with either section 1.2.1 i) or ii) below.
1.2.1 i) Methyl Bromide Fumigation Rates
| Gas Concentration | Duration | Minimum Temperature |
| 48 grams/m3 | 12 hours | 15°C |
| 56 grams/m3 | 12 hours | 10°C |
1.2.1 ii) Insecticide Treatment Rate
Panel products and timber mouldings (without plastic wrapping) may be treated with Insecticidal Pestigas, Permigas or Pybuthrin 33 as an alternative to fumigation with methyl bromide (section 1.2.1 i above).
| Dosage Rate |
| 50g/100m3 |
1.2.2 Post Treatment Product Security
Post treatment, all treated break bulk sawn and/or manufactured timber product must remain sealed under the fumigation covers until the day of loading to prevent re-infestation with Arhopalus ferus.
In addition the ground around the treated timber and all edges/folds of the fumigation covers must be sprayed with a residual insecticide, such as cypermethrin, prior to removing the fumigation covers.
Post treatment and venting, all containerised sawn and/or manufactured timber product must remain sealed within the six hard sided container until arrival in Australia (to prevent re-infestation with Arhopalus ferus). The venting of container fumigations must occur during daylight hours.
1.2.3 Night Loading Restrictionss
At ports, other than the Ports of Auckland, all break bulk sawn and/or manufactured timber product must only be loaded onto vessels during the hours of daylight.
Daylight hours are defined as:
- 30 minutes after sunrise until 30 minutes before sunset.
- Sunrise and sunset times are published in local news papers.
During the hours of darkness all ship holds containing break bulk timber and/or panel products, that has been treated, must be closed and sealed to prevent re-infestation.
Containerised timber and/or panel product, that has been treated, may be loaded onto vessels during the hours of darkness.
1.2.4 Phytosanitary Certification
During the Arhopalus ferus flight season, AQIS specify that all consignments are accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate.
The phytosanitary certificate must contain the following additional declaration:
- "The consignment(s) have been treated in accordance with the AQIS/MAF agreement to eliminate infestation of Arhopalus ferus.", or
- One of the following statements attesting to the treatment that was undertaken:
- "All timber articles treated for Arhopalus ferus with Methyl bromide @ 48 grams/m3 for 12 hours at 15°C";
- "All timber articles treated for Arhopalus ferus with Methyl bromide @ 56 grams/m3 for 12 hours at 10°C"; or
- "All panel products or timber mouldings treated for Arhopalus ferus with Pestigas, Permigas or Pybuthrin 33 @ 50g/100m3"
2. Logs
For the Australian log import requirements (excluding Myrtaceae), please refer to the following link:
Australian Log Import Requirements Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
3. Wood/ Timber - Sawn
For the Australian Wood/ Timber - Sawn import requirements, please refer to the following links to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website:
- Pine, Douglas fir and all other species except those of genera and families shown below
- Myrtaceae (eg. Eucalypt)
- Fraxinus (Ash)
- Nothofagus (eg. New Zealand native Beech species)
- Quercus (Oak)
- Acacia (Wattle)
For timber over 200mm in all dimensions please see: Oversize Timber
Units of sawn timber on a single Phytosanitary certificate cannot be a mix of sterilised and unsterilised material. Sterilised and unsterilised shipments require individual phytosanitary certificates.
If the timber has been either fumigated or heat sterilised the maximum thickness (when treated) of the sawn timber must be included on the Phytosanitary certificate.
3.1 Phytophthora kernoviae Area Freedom Declaration
Under condition C9654, of the AQIS import requirements, Biosecurity New Zealand can now offer an additional Phytophthora kernoviae and Phytophthora ramorum Pest Area Freedom Declaration to affected phytosanitary certificates.
This declaration will replace the heat treatment and kiln drying requirements, set under condition C9654 of the AQIS import requirements, for exporters who meet the Biosecurity New Zealand requirements for the provision of this Pest Area Freedom Declaration. Details on the Biosecurity New Zealand requirements are specified below.
All timber must continue to meet all other requirements specified by AQIS at: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Biosecurity New Zealand Requirements: Biosecurity New Zealand Requirements
3.2 Arhopalus ferus Requirements
During the Arhopalus ferus flight season additional import requirements are required for sawn timber being exported to Australia.
In addition to the requirements specified within section 2 and 2.1 above, please visit Arhopalus ferus Requirements for the additional Arhopalus ferus requirements.
4. Wood/ Timber - Chips
For the Australian Wood Chip import requirements, please refer to the following link:
Australian Wood Chip Import Requirements Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
5. Wood Products – Plywood / LVL / Veneer
For the Australian import requirements for Plywood and Veneer Sheets, please refer to the following link.
Australian Import Requirements Plywood and Veneer Sheets: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
5.1 Arhopalus ferus Requirements
During the Arhopalus ferus flight season additional import requirements are required for sawn timber being exported to Australia.
In addition to the requirements specified within section 4 above, please visit Arhopalus ferus Requirements for the additional Arhopalus ferus requirements.
6. Wood Products - Reconstituted
Reconstituted wood products are those that as a result of the manufacturing process no longer contain solid wood and include particleboard, chipboard, hardboard (masonite), oriented strand board, medium and high density fibreboard. This case does not apply to plywood and veneer products.
For the Australian reconstituted wood products import requirements, please refer to the following link.
Australian reconstituted wood products Import Requirements: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
7. Wood Products - Manufactured
For the Australian import requirements for Wood Products - Manufactured, please refer to the following link.
Australian Import Requirements Wood Products - Manufactured: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
8. Wood Products - Packaging
For the Australian wooden packaging import requirements, please refer to the following link.
Australian Wood Packaging Import Requirements: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
9. Wood Products - Artefacts
For the Australian Wood Products - Artefacts import requirements, please refer to the following link:
Australian Wood Products- Artefacts Import Requirements: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
10. Bark
Pine bark is prohibited from all sources unless the importer has obtained an import permit.
The import permit will mandate that chipped or shredded bark had been:
- heat treated at 85°C for at least 8 hours, (T9569);
- gamma irradiated at 25 kGray, (T9651); or
- fumigated with ethylene oxide under vacuum at 1500g/m3 for 24 hours at 21°C, (T9020).
Page last updated: 31 October 2011