Importing

Determine whether your import requires an import permit and save time obtaining your permit by reviewing specific import requirements for common items.

Step One: Read the general requirements

Animals and animal products

An import permit is not required for commercially-produced packets of processed food products with ingredients of animal origin, labelled as having been produced in Australia or New Zealand.

  • Tinned foods
  • Seafood
  • Pet food (canned meat or biscuits)
  • Biscuits, cakes, pastry, noodles (cooked, with egg or honey ingredients)
  • Processed dairy products (butter, cheese, cream, ice-cream, infant food, pasteurized/UHT milk)
  • Egg (cooked – non fertile in hermetically sealed containers)
  • Health Foods containing bee products, including bee venom, pollen, propolis, royal jelly (must be processed and prepared as encapsulated doses such as tablets or capsules).
  • Processed beeswax (candles, cosmetics, foundation, ornaments, polishes)
  • Feathers (new dusters, hats, lures, bleached, curled or waved)
  • Furs (manufactured)
  • Leather (new and fully manufactured)
  • Saddles and saddle harnesses (new)
  • Wool (processed)
     

An import permit is required for all animals and animal products, including those listed above, from all other countries.

General requirements for all animal and animal product imports:

1. Permission to Import

Applications for a permit to import an animal or animal product are to be submitted on the official form well before the planned export of the animal or animal product.  Where a single entry permit is issued, the original copy of the import permit must be presented at the time of importation to obtain release of the consignment. Should the disease status of an exporting country change after an import permit has been issued Biosecurity Solomon Islands reserves the right to withdraw the permit or to vary the permit conditions at their discretion without prior notice.

Application Forms

2. Notification

The arrival date and mode of transportation are to be included in the permit application. In the case of live animals their arrival to be notified to Biosecurity Solomon Islands at least 48 hours prior to arrival, and no later than one working weekday before embarkation of the animals.

3. Transportation of Animals

Animals must be transported in a secure suitable container in accordance with the recommendations for the transport of live animals of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) live animals regulations as appropriate.

All feed or fodder accompanying the animals must comply with the import conditions of Solomon Islands for plant or animal products, if not then any surplus will remain on board the vessel or aircraft, or be destroyed at the owner’s expense upon arrival at the Port of Entry.

Any bedding should comprise only of sterile peat, soft board, treated wood shavings, shredded paper or other inert approved products.  All bedding material should remain on board the vessel or aircraft, or be destroyed by incineration at the owner’s expense upon arrival in Solomon Islands.

Animals are transported entirely at the risk of the importer and Biosecurity Solomon Islands holds no responsibility for the care or safety of animals during transport.

4. Documentation

The following documentation is required to accompany imports of animals and high risk animal products:

  1. A valid Import Permit is required: 
    1. For single importations of animals and animal products the Permit is to be presented at the time of importation. 
    2. For multiple importations under one Permit then a copy of the Permit may be presented at the time of importation.
  2. A Statutory Declaration by the owner or agent is required to accompany live animal imports, stating:
    1. A full description of the animal;
    2. That to the best of his/her knowledge the animal is free from all infectious and contagious diseases;
    3. That the animal has not been in contact with any diseased animals for the 30 days immediately prior to embarkation.
  3. An official Animal Health Certificate is required to accompany all imports of live animals and animal products.

The certificate must be signed by a Government Veterinary Officer of the exporting country attesting to the certification assurances required in the specific schedules for animals or animal products.

In some cases an Approved Veterinarian, approved by the veterinary authorities in the exporting country, may provide certification of pre-export treatments and health examinations.

5.    Post Arrival Procedures

On arrival in Solomon Islands all consignments of animals and animal products must be presented to a Biosecurity Officer for validation of any required documentation. In particular all live animals (except dogs and cats from Australia or New Zealand) must be inspected by veterinary officer approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock prior to release from the port of entry. All costs are to be borne by the importer.

Biosecurity Solomon Islands has the right to inspect, examine, sample, test, detain, quarantine and treat any consignments of animals to ensure they comply with Solomon Islands import requirements. Any non-compliant consignments of animals may be destroyed or re-exported. All costs associated with these actions are to be borne by the importer. Biosecurity Solomon Islands holds no responsibility for any losses incurred by the importer, owner or agent.

6. Post Entry Quarantine Requirements

Where animals are required to undergo a period of post entry quarantine, they must remain within the confines of an approved post entry quarantine facility for the full period of quarantine and will only be released at the discretion of by a veterinary officer approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The post-entry facility must meet the following general requirements:

(i) The facilities must be inspected and approved by an officer authorised by the Director of Biosecurity before a permit for importation is issued, and:

  • Be sufficiently secure to contain the quarantined animals.
  • Contain adequate handling facilities for animals
  • Maintain adequate separation from other animals.
  • Have adequate containment of drainage and animal waste.
  • Have adequate provision for feed and water.

7.    Fees

A permit fee and an inspection fee will be charged in accordance with the current schedule of BSI fees and charges for Biosecurity Solomon Islands. Any and all costs or fees associated with ensuring consignments comply with import requirements are to be borne directly by the importer. Biosecurity Solomon Islands holds no responsibility for any losses incurred by the importer, owner or agent. 

Plants and plant products

An import permit and accompanying phytosanitary certificate is not required for certain commercially packaged and labelled plant products from any country.

  • Cooked fruit and vegetables
  • Pickled fruit and vegetables
  • Cooked plant products
  • Preserved fruit and vegetables
  • Fried plant products
  • Processed nuts (in their final processed form, i.e. shelled or hulled)
  • Freeze dried plant products
  • Spices
  • Frozen fruit and vegetables
     

An import permit is not required for vegetable seeds for sowing (except maize, sweetcorn) in consignments of less than 250gm from certain suppliers in certain countries so long as certain requirements have been met.

View the list of Approved vegetable seed suppliers.
 

An import permit is not required for certain timber products from all countries so long as certain requirements have been met.

  • Wood charcoal (including shell or nut charcoal)
  • Wood wool; wood flour.
  • Sheets for veneering less than 6mm thick
  • Wood (including strips and friezes for parquet flooring, etc.
  • Particle board, oriented strand board (OSB) and similar board
  • Fibreboard of wood.
  • Plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated wood.
  • Densified wood, in blocks, plates, strips or profile shapes.
  • Wooden frames for paintings, photographs, mirrors or similar objects.
  • Packing cases, pallets, boxes, crates, drums and similar packing with ISPM 15 certification.
  • Casks, barrels, vats, tubs assembled and full.
  • Tools, tool bodies, tool handles, broom or brush bodies and handles, of wood
  • Tableware and kitchenware, of wood.
  • Wood marquetry and inlaid wood; caskets and cases etc.

Requirements:

  • Inspection on arrival, treat if required
  • Must be free of pests, soil and foreign matter
     

An import permit is not required for certain miscellaneous products from all countries so long as certain requirements have been met.

  • Artifacts
  • Basketware
  • Caneware

Requirements for small hand-carried consignments:

  • Must be clean, free of pests, soil and foreign matter
  • Inspection on arrival with treatment if required

Requirements for commercial consignments:

  • Pre-shipment fumigation with MB at 48g/m3 for 16 hours at 21oC.
  • Phytosanitary certificate confirming fumigation
  • Inspection on arrival to confirm effective fumigation.
     

An import permit is required for all plant and plant products not referenced above.

General requirements apply to all plant and plant product imports:

1. Permission to import

An Import Permit is required. Applications are to be submitted on the official form. The original copy of the permit must be presented to obtain release of the consignment.

Application Forms

2. Documentation

A Phytosanitary Certificate (PC), issued by the National Plant Protection Authority in the country of origin, must accompany all consignments, certifying the produce to be free of pests and diseases. The certificate must also include any additional declarations specified on the Import Permit.

Where a consignment has been transhipped to the Solomon Islands via another country, a “Re-export Certificate” shall accompany that consignment. The re-export certificate shall be issued by the National Plant Protection Authority at the port of re-export and clearly identify the consignment (i.e. exporter, consignee, description of product, number of packages, distinguishing marks, place of origin, means of conveyance, point of entry into country). The certificate shall certify that the consignment in question has been transported and handled in such a manner as to prevent the possibility of pest infestation and product substitution during transit.

3. Pre-shipping procedures

  • Shipments must be free of soil and/or debris and be packed in new packages.
  • Leafy vegetables must be free of roots, and non-leafy vegetables must be free of foliage.
  • Consignments are subject to inspection on arrival and any treatment necessary.

 

Machinery, Equipment & Transport

Included here are:

  • Earthmoving machinery
  • Logging equipment
  • Mining equipment
  • Agriculture equipment
  • Used or second hand vehicles
  • New vehicles
  • Sporting equipment
  • Camping equipment
  • Military equipment

Any of the above will be inspected on arrival and must be found free of soil, any plant material and any other biosecurity risk material. You are recommended to clean your equipment before they depart from the exporting country. Government or accredited agent certificates of cleanliness are welcome and may reduce the requirement for inspection on arrival.

 

Step Two: Find any specific requirements

Many animals, plants, and animal or plant products have specific import requirements additional to the general requirements listed above. Use the search filter here to find any specific requirements for your import.* Also review the definitions of plant and animal technical terms.

Biosecurity conducts CRB awareness and clean-up program in Renbel Province
BSI Editor
/ Categories: News

Biosecurity conducts CRB awareness and clean-up program in Renbel Province

The Biosecurity department together with the Biosecurity Emergency Coordination Centre (BECC) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in its continued efforts to contain and managed the spread of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) in the country has recently conducted awareness and clean-up/sanitation program on the islands of Bellona and Rennell Islands, Renbel Province.

The clean-up/sanitation program was successfully conducted with funding support from the second batch of funding by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade through the Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock – Biosecurity Department.

While in the provincial headquarter, Tingoa; the team made a courtesy visit to the provincial Premier Hon. Willy Tuhagenga and met with his executive.

At the meeting the team briefly updated the provincial executive on the ongoing work to contain and managed further spread of CRB in other parts of the country including Renbel Province. The team also informed the premier and his executive of the activities that has been conducted while they are in the province.

The Biosecurity officers that led the teams to Bellona and Rennell also do direct recruitment of casual workers. In Bellona casual workers has been recruited from ward 7 to ward 10 covering the whole island, while on Rennell Island, recruitment has been done only in wards 4 & 5. The casuals were unemployed youths and men are from the two islands.

Community consultation, Awareness and interviews were conducted in both islands, people were well aware of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle which has now become a great threat to their community livelihood and economy. Posters, brochures and merchandises has been distributed to the casuals and the communities.

The biosecurity team therefore encouraged Rennell and Bellona agriculture extension officers to continue working closely with the plantation owners and good people of Rennell & Bellona islands to closely monitor the coconut plantations and dead stock piles to avoid any further breeding of the CRB on the stock piles. They advised that the chopped coconut trunks when dried be burnt as soon as possible.

Plantation owners must take the lead in this fight, regularly monitor the coconut palms for infected trees, cut down as soon as identified, to avoid further breeding and spread of the deadly beetle.

"Join the Fight" Cut, Burn, Kill.

Clean-up and/sanitation work will continue again on other provincial sites according to the BECC proposed work plans for this year 2022.

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros, was discovered in Honiara in January 2015.

The ministry (MAL) through its Biosecurity department has carried out active campaigns to eradicate and contain it within outbreak area but was not able to do so. To date it is now confirmed that the CRB has spread to some parts of the provinces except for Choiseul province and the worst infected provinces are Malaita, Guadalcanal, Makira (mostly Ulawa), Central Province especially Russell Islands and Ngella and Rennell and Bellona and Malaita Outer Islands (MOI).

Coconut industry and other palms are vulnerable to the invasive pest attack.

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* These are sample documents that provide an indication of the requirements your import must meet. You will receive the latest documents from us when you make your application. If you cannot find requirements for your proposed import and wish to investigate development of new ones, please contact us.

 

Contact Us

Enquiries@biosecurity.gov.sb

Phone
Honiara HQ: (+677) 24657

HQ Office
At Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Hibiscus Avenue, Honiara

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Support for the design and construction of this website was provided by the Australian aid program under their Solomon Islands Biosecurity Development Program and is gratefully acknowledged.