Organic Export Requirements

The export of commodities is controlled by the Department of Agriculture (DoA), and listed or ‘prescribed’ in the Export Control Act 2020 and related legislation.Requirements for the export of certified organic product vary dependent on the level of recognition between trading countries of certification and product origin.

There are differing requirements for those based within Australia, which fall within the provisions of the Department of Agriculture (DoA), as to those based outside Australia.

Under the Export Control Act 2020 and the Export Control (Organic Goods) Rules 2021, the DoA delegates the issuance of export certificates for organic products to certification bodies such as NCO.

Exporters of organic product, whether bulk or processed, must be certified with a DoA accredited certification organisation such as NASAA Certified Organic (NCO), unless operators are exporting goods already packed for the end consumer by a certified organic processor or packer.

For further Information, download NCO’s Rules & Guidelines for Exporters.

NCO support for specific country export requirements

There are specific requirements for the export of product to Japan, Canada and the USA, where stand-alone national organic programs are administered.

NCO provides support and advice to ensure a smooth process in meeting the specific certification requirements for Australian certified organic operators seeking to export organic products.

Organic operations based outside of Australia fall outside the governance of Australia’s Department of Agriculture (DoA).

For these operators the export of product depends on the individual requirements of the destination country, and the level of authorisation of importing agents within those countries.