CANBERRA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government on Thursday announced it will streamline the import process for fertilizers to mitigate supply issues caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Julie Collins, minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry, said in a statement that the government will implement the streamlined border processes following consultation with peak industry body Fertilizer Australia.
The changes include simplified onshore compliance inspections for fertilizer imports and certification from authorized inspectors offshore that imported products are free of biosecurity risk material.
Collins said that the changes would get fertilizer to farmers faster without compromising Australia's strict biosecurity measures.
Importers using pathways deemed higher risk to source fertilizer will be required to provide a bagged sample for inspection by a biosecurity officer.
Collins told Sky News Australia television on Sunday that about 60 percent of Australia's fertilizer-grade urea imports were transiting through the Strait of Hormuz prior to the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict.
The announcement of the streamlined import process coincided with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Brunei and Malaysia for fuel security talks.
The Southeast Asian nations supply a combined 21 percent of Australia's fertilizer-grade urea imports.
Albanese and Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah said in a joint statement after meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan on Wednesday that the two nations are committed to working together to strengthen energy supply chain resilience. ■
