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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
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.
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Tinned foods
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Seafood
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Pet food (canned meat or biscuits)
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Biscuits,
cakes, pastry, noodles (cooked, with egg or honey ingredients)
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Processed
dairy products (butter, cheese, cream, ice-cream, infant food, pasteurized/UHT
milk)
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Egg (cooked – non fertile in hermetically sealed containers)
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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).
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Processed beeswax (candles, cosmetics, foundation, ornaments,
polishes)
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Feathers (new dusters, hats, lures, bleached, curled or waved)
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Furs (manufactured)
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Leather (new and fully manufactured)
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Saddles and
saddle harnesses (new)
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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:
- A valid Import Permit is required:
- For single importations of animals and animal products the Permit is to be presented at the time of importation.
- For multiple importations under one Permit then a copy of the Permit may be presented at the time of importation.
- A Statutory Declaration by the owner or agent is required to accompany live animal imports, stating:
- A full description of the animal;
- That to the best of his/her knowledge the animal is free from all infectious and contagious diseases;
- That the animal has not been in contact with any diseased animals for the 30 days immediately prior to embarkation.
- 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.
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
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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)
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Wood wool; wood flour.
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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:
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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.
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 integrated Pest and Disease management awareness
Biosecurity officers, JICA rep and Ministry of Forestry officers with community member participants during the awareness-training.
Biosecurity officers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) conducted a one-day awareness training on integrated pest and disease management for Komuniboli community members in East Guadalcanal on 15th April 2021.
Focused on pest control, specifically on Giant African Snail (GAS), the training was conducted upon request by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with the aim to address attack of GAS on its (JICA) Agroforestry project site there, raise awareness for community farmers on invasive pest and aware them on signs of (new possible) pests.
Biosecurity officer, George Harunari set up a biocontrol agent block for GAS.
Jean Manepora’a who was part of the awareness team said the awareness-training was a success with the establishment of a biological control agent for GAS by their team at the village/community.
“There was an MOU signed between BSI and JICA under its (JICA) project on Capacity Development for Sustainable Forest Resources Management in Solomon Islands. The MOU is to permit BSI to carry out awareness and trainings on regulated pests like Giant African Snail (GAS) and Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) at its project sites of Agroforestry which are established at Komuniboli in East Guadalcanal and Falake community in Malaita province. Now, that we have done with the first one, a similar training under the same project is anticipated for Falake community members in West Kwara’ae, Malaita province in due course.”
Biosecurity officer, Gideon Suda do a presentation on what is Biosecurity regulated pest and diseases which include GAS, CRB, fruit-flies and citrus canker.
Mrs. Manepora’a said it was encouraging to see the whole community came out in numbers and help out with the establishment of four blocks of biological control trial sites, with New Guinea Flat Worm (platydemus Manokwari) being used for the biocontrol of GAS.
“The awareness-training really equipped the community members as they acquired practical knowledge and techniques on the management of pest and diseases.
“Establishment of the biocontrol agent at the site/community is a project that BSI firmed with Komuniboli community under JICA’s agroforestry project as part of a collaborative efforts to control the spread of GAS within the vicinity.”
A group of participants discussed the impacts of pest and diseases on environment related to adverse impact to native flora and fauna.
Biosecurity officers involved in the awareness are; George Harunari, Gideon Suda, Jean Manepora’a and Samson Kauli.
GAS, Lissachatina fulica, previously known as Achtinidia fulica, arrived in Solomon Islands in 2006.
It was first reported at Ranadi, Honiara and is believed to have arrived in the country on logging equipments that had been landed without biosecurity clearance.
MAL through its Biosecurity department has carried out active campaigns to eradicate it but after that proved impossible, to reduce its impact and contain it to the outbreak area.
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).
Source: MAL Media
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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.
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