Market Access Updates

China
Good news!
The team of auditors from GACC China has completed their visit, and the China Pet Food Protocol has now been agreed. An update to the China OMAR is expected shortly. Discussions are also underway regarding an update to the export certificate, which is anticipated to be finalised very soon.
Once the updated OMAR is published, GACC’s restriction on pet food containing avian ingredients will be lifted.
Special thanks to those five premises that hosted the team of auditors from GACC China and to all those that participated in subsequent discussions regarding heat treatment parameters. It is expected that border PCR testing will significantly reduce in frequency but GACC have made no firm commitment.

Korea
Good news!
Korea MAFRA have notified to WTO their intention to defer the implementation of their new pet food requirements until end of December 2027. MPI have submitted comments in support

All facilities, once registered with MPI are eligible to export to Korea using the current KR204 cert. This is a welcome change for facilities that are “new” (those that have not exported to Korea between 15th January 2024 and 14th January 2025). Once listed with MPI, these new facilities may export to Korea.
See F51/25 for details of the listing process. F51/25 Korea: pet food registration [PDF, 202 KB]
It is strongly recommended that both “old” and “new” premises get listed as soon as possible.
Prior to the end of December 2027 Korea MAFRA will undertake a systems audit of three “new” facilities. Being a systems audit, costs will be borne by the Crown.
It is intended to organise this audit sooner rather than later.
MPI and Korea MAFRA are negotiating an update to the certificate. In the meantime, all exports can continue using the current KR204 cert.

Japan
MPI and Japan continue to negotiate access for wild cloven-hooved animals. In the meantime, wild venison and goat is not allowed entry. Wallaby, kangaroo and possum is allowed entry.
Rabbit and hare remain prohibited imports and this is unlikely to change.

Taiwan
No change from the last update. It is still intended that six pet food premises will be audited by Taiwan in systems audit.
Information has been sent to Taiwan for all six and a response is awaited.
Audit dates are unclear but expected early in the first quarter of 2026.
Once the systems audit is complete, MPI will be able to add further premises to the list of approved premises without further audits.

USA
A note was circulated early December notifying a minor technical change to the processing premises box settings in the US200 export cert template. There will also be an additional sentence in clause US200.20/22V stating “The exported material was produced only at the processing premises listed above.”
These are minor technical changes to the wording of the cert to be consistent with the Import Permit.
There is no need to do anything as they are automatically generated.
As these changes do not require any action on the part of operators or certifiers, and they do not reflect a change in the conditions of trade or eligibility, there was no formal OMAR notification of the update.
Any issues, please let the Association know.