Consignments comprising less than 10kg do not require a notice of intention to export/export permit and therefore no export permit documentation fee applies. See Export Control (Prescribed Goods – General) Order 2005 Order 2.01 (g). If an importing country requires other export certification for the consignment, all fees described below apply.
This fee structure is to be applied to the following export commodities:
Grain commodities
- prescribed grain (any seed or grain of any of the following kinds: barley, canola, chickpeas, dried field peas, faba beans, lentils, lupins, mung beans, oats, sorghum, soybeans, whole vetch and wheat)
- fresh fruit and vegetables (includes herbs and mushrooms)
- hay and straw
- plants and plant products (nuts, fodder, timber products and other grains & seeds not listed above) for which a phytosanitary certificate or any other official certificate is required by an importing country authority.
Horticulture commodities
- fresh fruit and vegetables (includes herbs and mushrooms)
- plants and plant products (nursery stock, tissue cultures, cut flowers, foliage, dried fruit, cotton) for which a phytosanitary certificate or any other official certificate is required by an importing country authority
Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Fee for service 1/4 hour 36.00 SHFFS14 Table 2. Overtime rates Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Time and half – continuous (Monday – Saturday) 1/4 hour 15.00
SHTH14 Double time – continuous (Sunday or after 3hrs 1.5 overtime) 1/4 hour 20.00
SHDT14 Double time and a half – continuous (Public Holidays) 1/4 hour 25.00
SHDTH14 Time and half – non-continuous (Monday – Saturday) Min 3hrs 180.00
SHTHNC14 Double time – non-continuous (Sunday) Min 3hrs 240.00
SHDTNC14 Double time and a half – non-continuous (Public Holidays) Min 3hrs 300.00
SHDTHNC14 4.1.2 Grain and Seed Exports
Table 3. Fee for Service (FFS) rate – (Fee reduction commences 1 May 2014)1 Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Fee for service ¼ hour 34.00
SGFFS14 Table 4. Overtime rates Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Time and half – continuous (Monday – Saturday) ¼ hour 14.00
SGTH14 Double time – continuous (Sunday or after 3hrs 1.5 overtime) ¼ hour 19.00
SGDT14 Double time and a half – continuous (Public Holidays) ¼ hour 24.00
SGDTH14 Time and half – non-continuous (Monday – Saturday) Min 3hrs 171.00
SGTHNC14 Double time – non-continuous (Sunday) Min 3hrs 228.00
SGDTNC14 Double time and a half – non-continuous (Public Holidays) Min 3hrs 285.00
SGDTHNC14 Note: Due to availability of funds in the Grain and Seed Export Industry Reserve (IR), a fee remission will take place against Grain and Seed Exports FFS and overtime charges as of 1 May 2014. The revised amounts are reflected above in the Grain and Seed Exports table.
Fee reduction has been applied to manage the Grain and Seed Industry Reserve.
Fee for service (FFS) charges relating to product inspection and documentation performed by a Department of Agriculture Authorised Officer (AO) will be invoiced to the exporter, and is charged per AO.
Services may include the following:
- inspection – for the provision of inspection services of prescribed goods in registered establishments, including preparation and post inspection activities
- audit – undertake audit activities or in response to a corrective action after the identification of non-compliant activity, including preparation and post audit activities
- the collection of information required to assess initial applications and physical inspections for the renewal and registration of an establishment
- any other services that are provided at the specific request of a company or individual or as required under legislation or importing country requirements.
A FFS rate applies per 1/4 hour per Department of Agriculture AO applies, including but not limited to the following activities:
Pre-inspection activities
- pre-inspection assessment of documentation
- verifying importing country requirements
- audit preparation time
Inspection activities
- sampling activities
- in-office inspections
- empty container inspections
- vessel hold inspections
- activities associated with the inspection of registered establishments
- supervision of treatments (where such treatments are a mandatory requirement of the importing country and require Department of Agriculture certification)
- conduct audit activities
Post-inspection activities
- invoicing
- assisting with detained or distressed consignments
- writing up audit reports and corrective actions
- closing out Corrective Action Requests
- documentation assessment prior to issuing certification
Other
- amending Request For Permits (RFPs at HCRD status or prior status)
- amending RFP’s for which a replacement certificate charge does not apply
- amending manual Notice of Intention to Export (NOIs)/export permit
- amending phytosanitary certificates
- country specific registrations
- industry training
- issuing of transfer certificates (FFS only, no documentation charge)
- issuing of calibration certificates (FFS only, no documentation charge)
FFS is charged ‘part there of’ and there is no minimum charge.
4.2 Overtime
Department of Agriculture overtime rates are applied in addition to FFS. Department of Agriculture normal span of hours are 0630 to 1830 on weekdays and are serviced within resource capabilities. Any work performed within the span of hours 0630 to 1830 on weekdays, does not attract overtime charges unless a period of more than eight continuous hours (excluding required breaks) is worked on the one day at one client’s premise by a Department of Agriculture AO.
Exporters requesting inspections outside of normal span of hours (i.e. 0630 to 1830 on weekdays) are required to pay overtime.
Upon the completion of 3 hours overtime, the rate being applied changes from time and a half to double time – except for Sundays or Public Holidays, that are already charged a higher rate. The rate of overtime being charged does not change if officers change shifts.
4.2.1 Overtime charges
Overtime charging is applied to work performed on weekdays before 0630 and after 1830 and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Overtime charging commences from when the Department of Agriculture AO arrives at the location of inspection.
4.2.2 Continuous rate
The continuous overtime fee applies to work that is performed immediately leading up to, or immediately following on from, the normal span of hours (i.e. leading up to 0630 or following on from 1830). This includes exceeding 8 hours continuous work within normal span of hours.
Note: Sundays are regarded as Public Holidays in South Australia so double time and a half applies.
4.2.3 Non-continuous rate
The non-continuous overtime fee (3 hour minimum) applies to any work performed where the Department of Agriculture AO is required to commence and complete duty outside the normal span of hours and is applied per exporter.
This rate also applies where the Department of Agriculture AO is called out on weekends and public holidays.
Attachment A – Includes four scenarios showing how overtime is applied using both continuous and non continuous examples. There are two Horticulture examples using full FFS and overtime rates, and two Grain and Seed examples using the reduced rates implemented on 1 May 2014.
4.3 Documentation fees
4.3.1 Horticulture Exports
Table 5. Documentation Fee Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Export permit issued manually per document 100.00
SPEMP12 Export permit issued electronically per document 16.00
SHEP14 Phytosanitary certificate issued manually per document 100.00
SPEMC12 Phytosanitary certificate issued electronically per document 16.00
SHEC14 Other Government documents issued manually per document 100.00
SPEMO12 Other Government documents issued electronically per document 16.00
SHEO14 Replacement certificate – (manual and electronic) per document 500.00
SPERC12 4.3.2 Grain and Seed Exports
Table 6. Documentation Fees – (Fee reduction commences 1 May 2014)2 Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Export permit issued manually
per document
100.00
SPEMP12
Export permit issued electronically
per document
12.00
SGEP14
Phytosanitary certificate issued manually
per document
100.00
SPEMC12
Phytosanitary certificate issued electronically
per document
12.00
SGEC14
Other Government documents issued manually
per document
100.00
SPEMO12
Other Government documents issued electronically
per document
12.00
SGEO14
Replacement certificate – (manual and electronic)
per document
500.00
SPERC12
Note: Due to availability of funds in the Grain and Seed Export Industry Reserve (IR), a fee remission will take place against Grain and Seed Exports electronic documentation charges as of 1 May 2014. A reduction will not apply to replacement certificates. The revised amounts are reflected above in the Grain and Seed Exports table.
Documentation fees are charged to the exporter for each certificate and document issued by the Department of Agriculture. Regional offices are responsible for charging for all manually issued documentation. All documents that are issued electronically are charged for by Canberra Office.
Note: Where an importing country mandates manual documentation only and the exporter is using EXDOC the lesser charge (electronic certifiactes) will be applied.
Attachment B – contains a list of countries to which this applies and the commodity to which it relates.
The issuing of Department of Agriculture documentation has been streamlined to incorporate the time spent in creating and issuing documentation into the relevant fee, and have been set to reflect the cost of providing manual and electronic documents.
Department of Agriculture activities which are included in the documentation fees are:
- maintaining internal systems and auditing to ensure phytosanitary statements comply with importing country requirements, and
- time for creating and issuing documentation.
Creating and issuing of electronic export certification is the action of authorising an RFP (entering inspection dates, inspection comments and selecting the inspector) – including horticulture Notice of Intentions for non-phytosanitary certificate countries.
Creating and issuing of manual export certification is the action of applying the place of issue and code; name of inspector; inspection date(s), code, name of authorised officer; signing the certificate, applying the seal; ruling of the certificate; photocopying and applying the original and copy stamps.
Chargeable documentation activities conducted prior to the issuance of export certification, not incorporated in the document fee, for which FFS charges apply, include:
- liaising with the exporter or agent to clarify conditions and tests that may be required to support the certification, and
- assessment of supporting documentation provided by the exporter or agent meets the importing country requirements, and
- assessment of supporting documentation provided by the AO, including Export Compliance Records meets the RFP or manual certification provided by the exporter or agent.
- replacement certificate verification.
Time spent on assessment of documents, prior to creating and issuing of certification, will be charged FFS in all instances. If multiple certificates are presented for processing from the one consignment or one exporter at the one time, the entire time to process is consolidated and FFS charges applied.
4.3.3 Electronic certification
Requires little direct intervention; information is received, processed and sent electronically. A separate fee will apply to each export permit, each certificate and each additional document that is provided.
4.3.4 Manual certification
Requires total direct intervention; all information is received, processed and sent manually. To reflect the additional cost incurred in the delivery of manual certification, a separate fee will apply to each export permit, each certificate and each additional document that is provided.
4.3.5 Replacement certification
Replacement certification refers to documents that are issued to replace an issued document and include the replacement endorsement. The circumstances surrounding the request for replacement certification must be assessed on a case by case basis with consideration given as to why the original certificate has not been used.
The replacement process is the most resource intensive of all certification services and therefore replacement certificate fees have increased to more accurately represent the true cost involved in the verification, traceback and supply of a replacement certificate.
This fee is chargeable per each replacement document issued (i.e. per Phytosanitary Certificate, Export Permit or other Government document). There will be nil charge for a replacement certificate issued due to an error on behalf of the Department of Agriculture.
Examples of when a replacement certificate fee would apply include:
- part of a consignment being ‘rolled’ into another vessel once certification has been issued, and the amendments result in a new certificate being issued;
- a request for multiple certificates after a single certificate has been issued. Each newly issued certificate will be a Replacement Certificate and will incur the nominated fee.
- changing details in an RFP from one country to another
A replacement certificate fee would not apply when minor amendments to details are made on an issued document, including but not limited to:
- transport details, vessel, voyage, flight, destination city, consignee, import permit details, place of origin, weight details, treatment details, additional declaration details.
A FFS charge would be applied in these instances.
4.3.6 Export Permits
Export permits (issued after inspection of goods listed on Request for Permit or Notice of Intention – EX28/EX222) are required for all prescribed plants and plant products.
If alterations are requested by the exporter, FFS rates apply to the time taken to amend documents and may incur the cost for a replacement export permit.
4.3.7 Phytosanitary Certificates
All phytosanitary certificates issued, including re-export phytosanitary certificates, incur the appropriate document fee. This includes phytosanitary certificates that are signed by a Department of Agriculture AO (manual signature) and those issued electronically through EXDOC (for both AO and approved arrangement inspected consignments).
4.3.8 Multiple Phytosanitary Certificates
Where a consignment has been inspected and the exporter applies to have multiple phytosanitary certificates issued (that equates to the total quantity of product passed for export), each separate certificate will incur the nominated fee.
4.3.9 Certified copies of Phytosanitary Certificates
If the client wishes, certified copies of phytosanitary certificates can be obtained through a Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declarations, Commissioner for Affidavits or the suitable certifying official for the State involved. The Department of Agriculture may still certify true copies. However, this practice will incur the appropriate FFS charge.
4.3.10 Other Government documents
Supply of other miscellaneous certificates or documents such as but not limited to:
- Radiation statements
- Certificate as to Condition
- Declaration and Certificate as to Condition
- GMO statements
- Ship’s Holds Inspection Certificates
- Statements on Department of Agriculture letterheads; will be charged at the nominated document fee.
Fees for other government documents are as per table 5 and 6.
4.4 Quantity charge
Table 7. Quantity charge – (Fee reduction commences 1 May 2014)3 Charge Description Unit of charge Fee ($) Fee Reduction ($) Final Cost ($) Item code Tonnage charge Per tonne 0.11 0.03 0.08 SGTC11 Note: Due to availability of funds in the Grain and Seed Export Industry Reserve (IR), a fee remission will take place against Grain and Seed Exports tonnage charges as of 1 May 2014. The revised amount is reflected in the above table.
The charge is applicable to prescribed grains, including bulk, containerised and bagged product passed for export whether it was inspected under an Approved Arrangement or by an AO.
The rate of charge is per tonne or part thereof and is in addition to the inspection FFS. The inspection office will charge for tonnage on manually issued Export Permits. Tonnage for electronically issued Export Permits will be charged by Canberra Office.
The charge is applicable to the exporter applying for an export permit and will be applied against the quantity recorded on the Export Permit.
4.5 Annual charge for Registered Establishments
Export registration is initiated by companies or individuals that occupy premises used for the preparation, handling or storage of prescribed plants and plant products for export. Facilities are registered with Department of Agriculture to ensure that the premises construction, equipment and processes are suitable for the preparation of prescribed plants and plant products for export.
The renewal date will be the anniversary date currently recorded in the Establishment Register database. Registration renewal dates will remain the same. Regional offices are responsible for charging FFS for the process of renewing or registering establishments.
FFS will be charged by the Department of Agriculture for all activities in relation to registrations, including:
- assessing applications
- site inspection
- audits and
- renewal of registration.
An annual charge is payable by each registered establishment to cover the cost of program management to deliver inspection, audit and certification services. The annual charge for registered establishments will be invoiced on an annual basis in accord with the financial year by Canberra Office. Establishments are to pay the full registration fee no matter what time of year they register.
Attachment C – Includes a breakdown of Plant Export commodities indicating which program they relate to for charging purposes.
For registered establishments paying the annual charge for both Horticulture Exports and Grain and Seed Exports, the higher of the two charges will apply.
4.5.1 Grain Establishments
Table 8. Annual charge for Registered Establishments – Grain Charge Description – Grain Unit of charge Fee ($) Item code Annual charge for Grain Reg Est (Bulk) per annum 4,300.00 SGR111 Annual charge for Grain Reg Est (Other) per annum 2,500.00 SGR211 There are two categories of facilities i.e. bulk and other. A bulk facility is an establishment that loads large, unpackaged quantities of bulk commodity directly into a vessel hold for export.
An annual charge of $4,300.00 applies to each establishment preparing commodities for bulk export in vessel holds or $2,500.00 for registration of other establishments. If an establishment prepares both bulk and non-bulk commodities the $4,300.00 will apply.
These charges reflect business size to avoid an onerous charge on small businesses.
4.5.2 Horticulture Establishments
Table 9. Annual charge for Registered Establishments – Horticulture Charge Description – Horticulture Unit of charge Fee ($) Rebate ($) Final Cost ($) Item code Annual charge for Hort Reg Est – Tier 1 per annum 2,844.00
nil
2,844.00
SHR112 Annual charge for Hort Reg Est – Tier 2 per annum 5,687.00
1,887.00
3,800.00
SHR212 Annual charge for Hort Reg Est – Tier 3 per annum 8,530.00
3,730.00
4,800.00
SHR312 Note: The Australian Government has provided transitional assistance to reduce the 2013/14 annual charge for Tier 2 and Tier 3 Horticulture Export registered establishments as detailed in Table 9.
Importing countries impose a number of conditions on the Australian Government and exporters that need to be met to ensure Australian horticulture products are eligible for entry into their country and across their borders. To meet these strict conditions the Department of Agriculture undertakes a range of administrative, management, monitoring and verification activities.
These activities are essential requirements to satisfy importing authorities that particular standards are met prior to the export of goods into their countries and to maintain the highly favourable export status of Australian plant products.
There are three rates for establishment registration annual charges.
Where an establishment falls into more than one of these charging categories the charge payable by that establishment is the highest of all applicable charges.
- Tier 1 – ($2,844.00) – basic markets (no additional declarations) – these markets impose minimal import conditions and draw the least effort from the program management and administration deliverable.
- Tier 2 – ($5,687.00) – markets requiring additional declarations – these markets require certification against particular phytosanitary conditions or pest and disease freedom of horticulture export product. An additional level of effort is required from the program management and administration deliverable to ensure that the export system meets the requirements of these markets.
- Tier 3 – ($8,530.00) – protocol markets – these markets impose strict import conditions on horticulture products and draw the most amount of effort from the program management and administration deliverable.
For more information please click on http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/export/plants-plant-products/fees-charges/plant-exports-fees-and-charges
