topic Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds) in Buying

Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

bonica — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:08:35 GMT

I sometimes buy flower seeds from eBay sellers.A beautiful range is available.

But recently i ordered 3 packets of Impatiens from 3 different sellers ( to get the colours i wanted ), as well as some other seeds.

Customs has confiscated them all, giving a different reason in every case.

Other packets of seed came through.

The Customs website ( AQIS) used to be so easy to navigate - you just visited the website , and could easily look up all prohibited seed.Now one can't find the list at all !

Is this so Customs can say what they feel .like saying ?

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

nouveau_retro — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:13:03 GMT

with seeds you're better off buying from within Australia.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

putney32 — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:58:23 GMT

maybe its to do with which country you imported them from, and if the seller has a licence / some sort of spraying/control???

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

freshwater-2 — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:31:02 GMT

I have been aware of the customs restrictions since a friend sent me a commercially sealed jar of mixed herbs. The problem was the bay leaves. Customs phoned me when they came in and explained about the bay leaves and asked if I agree to chuck the jar.

I was most happy to do this as I am aware of what herbs and seeds can bring into Oz from overseas, and Customs is the first line defense.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

donkeynomad — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:21:37 GMT

I do a lot of importing of seeds. To find out if you can import the seeds you want go to: http://www.aqis.gov.au/icon32/asp/ex_querycontent.asp

If the permitted species page says 'condition C7100' then you can import it as long as the seed is clean and labled correctly with the common and botanical names

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

aldebaran3003 — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:06:57 GMT

I'd love to import some Paeonia suffruticosa seeds from Hong Kong. They are legal. I'd really appreciate advice on what needs to be done. Do they have to supply a phytosanitary certificate and do I have to notify AQIS or customs that I am ordering them? It's a bit confusing?:| Cheers!

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

kopenhagen5 — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:38:06 GMT

If the info is difficult to find on the link, perhaps give them a call. Their customer support number is at the bottom of this link.

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page5653.asp

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

zanadoo_56 — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 08:54:09 GMT

Were the packets seeds vacuum sealed? Did the rest of the wrapping satisfy the regulations?

I've never bought seeds but I ran afoul with Customs after a US seller posted my purchase in an old fruit box. X-( It caused no end of trouble...and my purchase was damaged when the authorities here opened the parcel with a box cutter. But what especially annoyed me was the note I got from Quarantine that implied it was all MY fault the packing was against regulations. Grrrrr.

But.....it was also mildly amusing (once I'd calmed down) when the note also explained to me why I couldn't have the fruit box. Classic. Why they thought I'd want it I can't imagine.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

kopenhagen5 — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:43:17 GMT

Hi zanadoo, this thread is 9 mnths old, I was responding to post 5 whom thought this was the place to ask the question.

With your story, customs standard responses are stern as they often don't know who has done what. I hope you got your item in the end. 🙂

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

zanadoo_56 — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 08:22:03 GMT

Yes I got my item in the end. Quarantine (or whoever) replaced the fruit box with an enormous cardboard one that took me a while to cut down to a size that would fit in the recycle bin!

Sadly, my item was damaged with the vinyl slashed. This damage was not in the original photos (which were numerous) or description by the seller, so I can only conclude when they cut open the fruit box my purchase was a casualty.

Also....I decided to do the right thing and warn the seller not to use that kind of packaging again if they ever post to Oz. I decided to include the links to Customs and Quarantine as supplied in the brochure they so thoughtfully included. All the links were 404 File not Found! It seems they not only apply a big stick to innocent buyers, they also take the opportunity to get rid of obsolete pamphlets.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

jasper2*123 — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 04:08:48 GMT

Enquiry: Sent to www.agriculture.gov.au 22/8/15

Subject: Imports – bringing goods into Australia 

Page: ICON Comments:

I have reviewed the import status for some seeds I wish to buy from US. I only want to buy small packets of seed. I have checked with ICON and they are allowed in. The seed supplier is a company with an excellent reputation and specialise in heirloom varieties. As they are only small packets of garden seeds and they are listed as OK in ICON, can I simply get them posted to me? ….. I know what to look for in the way of contamination, both biological and physical.

Enquiry: Received from www.agriculture.gov.au 24/8/15

RE: Imports – bringing goods into Australia

Inquiry from the Department of Agriculture website

IMPORTANT - (ICON is now BICON: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/online-services/bicon Launch BICON.)

Thank you for your inquiry.

If ICON states that the seeds are allowed into Australia without an import permit, you can receive them by post, provided that they are:

a) Packed in clean, new packaging, clearly labeled with the full botanical name (i.e. genus and species).
b) Free of live insects, soil, disease symptoms, prohibited seeds, other plant material (e.g. leaf, stem material, fruit pulp, pod material, etc.), animal material (e.g. animal faeces, feathers, etc.) and any other extraneous contamination of quarantine concern.
c) Seeds containing mixed genera or species must meet additional import requirements. Please see the following link to the Department of Agriculture’s import conditions database: Mixed Seed
d) Not genetically modified seeds. Genetically modified seeds must be accompanied by a copy of a valid Import Permit. All applications must be forwarded to the Department of Agriculture’s Plant Programs, Canberra along with detailed information regarding the mode of genetic modification and the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) registration number.

If ICON states that the seeds require an import permit, you must apply for the import permit prior to the seeds arriving in Australia. For more information please see: http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/application Airfreight or mail shipments should have all documentation (e.g. permit or permit number, invoice, manufacturer’s declarations and certification where applicable) securely attached to the outside of the package and clearly marked "Attention Quarantine". Alternatively, necessary documentation will need to be presented to the Department of Agriculture at the time of clearance.

If on inspection, the item does not meet these import conditions, it must undergo treatment (if applicable) at a cost of $75, or be re-exported at a cost of $95 to the consignee, or destroyed. The consignee will be notified by the Department of Agriculture before any action is carried out. Once payment and treatment has been completed, the items will be handed back to Australia Post for delivery. Please note this treatment fee applies to items imported via the regular postal service. Goods imported via an air express carrier may incur additional fees for inspection and/or treatment. For more information please see the following link to the Department of Agriculture webpage Air Express Carrier Fees and Charges

All mail items entering Australia are screened and if items of biosecurity concern are identified they will require inspection. It is important that all declarations on mail parcels are true and provides sufficient detail about the goods inside. Senders will receive an opportunity to list all the contents of a parcel on the Customs Declaration form available from post offices worldwide.

For further information on what goods can or cannot be brought into Australia, you may visit our website at http://www.agriculture.gov.au/travelling/cant-bring-form or our Import Conditions database (ICON) at http://apps.daff.gov.au/icon32/asp/ex_querycontent.asp. This database lists the conditions under which various commodities may be brought into Australia. Using the ICON search facility, enter the item into the ‘Commodity’ field, insert the country of manufacture or origin in the ‘From country’ field and leave ‘All End Uses’ in the ‘For end-use’ field. Then, click "search" and the database will return the results. If a Department of Agriculture Import Permit is required, or if any other specific conditions apply, ICON will specify this.

The information available on ICON is the same information that the Department of Agriculture’s clearing officers use when inspecting and clearing goods arriving into the country. I recommend that you refer to this database regularly to keep up to date with any import condition changes by the Department of Agriculture.

This was their answer in in August 2015. There have been changes, now using BICON is one of the changes.

Go into BICON as above and follow the requirements for the particular plant you are after.

Just keep in mind the Biosecurity Security people are very nice and very helpful if you need some advice or you intend on bringing in seed from outside Australia. They have a ‘contact us’ drop down menu on their website at the top. You will be surprised how good they are. It often is the difference between having your seeds making them to you, rather than being treated by irradiation and having the seed confiscated.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

lyndal1838 — Sun, 01 Jan 2017 04:31:07 GMT

While the information may have been useful FIVE years ago when the OP asked the question I would hazzard a guess that they will not be interested now as they have not been back to the boards since.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

sherman_theschoolman53 — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 22:12:19 GMT

Had same with a carton from UK that had some processed meat brand label. Annoying in the moment, but how good is it that we can eat meat from anywhere in Australia and be confident no Mad Cow, anthrax, foot and mouth, and who knows what else we and our wildlife are protected from. Small price. Greater good. Must be same with plant material for sure.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

go-tazz — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 23:40:19 GMT

@sherman_theschoolman53 wrote:
Had same with a carton from UK that had some processed meat brand label. Annoying in the moment, but how good is it that we can eat meat from anywhere in Australia and be confident no Mad Cow, anthrax, foot and mouth, and who knows what else we and our wildlife are protected from. Small price. Greater good. Must be same with plant material for sure.

Try telling Michelle that,

Original post was started 5 years ago and it's no longer relevant as it's outdated.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

*tippy*toes* — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 15:13:36 GMT

One thing that has changed is, you now need a permit to import ALL seeds, including rat ~~baits~~ food. The silly think is, if Michelle got a permit, which you can apply for on their website, she'd be able to legally import the ~~rubbish~~ stuff she buys.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

michellebartley — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 00:00:26 GMT

I am not paying $180.00 for an import permit for an item worth around $10.00. That is the cost for a permit.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

padi*0409 — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 00:24:20 GMT

Ah michelle, but the fine for an illegal import would very likely be a lot more than $180.00 since you've been caught before trying those illegal imports......................

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

go-tazz — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 00:28:21 GMT

@michellebartley wrote:
I am not paying $180.00 for an import permit for an item worth around $10.00. That is the cost for a permit.

No you would rather buy things that could possibly destroy your states eco system,

The reasons there are permits is because there is a lot of stuff that may contain pests and/or desease and they

need to be checked by customs,(especially in "food" type items for humand or animals).

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

michellebartley — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 05:28:18 GMT

Well they were for sale go-tazz and I brought them, no law against that. But I bet you'll think of one.

Re: Trouble wwith Australian Customs.(seeds)

lyndal1838 — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 05:49:14 GMT

So as long as something is for sale you think you can buy it whether it is legal to bring it into the country or not?