Importing Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates from Sri Lanka into Australia (2026)

Australia has no FTA with Sri Lanka, meaning all Chapter 3 seafood imports attract MFN tariff rates with zero preferential benefit, while simultaneously requiring DAFF biosecurity permits or approved arrangements that must be secured well before any shipment departs Colombo.

No FTA — MFN rates applyHS Chapter 3

Compliance requirements

⚠Obtain DAFF biosecurity import permit before shipment; live aquatic species face strict or prohibited entry pathways.
⚠Verify ABF Anti-Dumping Commission register for active measures on prawn lines prior to each Sri Lankan shipment.
⚠Declare full MFN duty liability on commercial invoice; GSP Form A confers no duty reduction under Australian law.
⚠All fish and seafood imports require a DAFF (formerly DAWE) biosecurity import permit or must meet an approved arrangement — live aquatic animals face especially strict pathway conditions under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and many species are outright prohibited entry
⚠Shark fin imports are subject to CITES permit requirements for listed species (e.g. oceanic whitetip, hammerhead); both an export permit from origin and an Australian CITES import permit issued by DAFF are mandatory before shipment arrives
⚠Anti-dumping measures are active on certain seafood lines — notably prawns from specific countries have been subject to dumping investigations; importers must check the ABF Anti-Dumping Commission register before each shipment as measures and duty rates change
⚠Country of origin labelling under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Standards Code and the Australian Consumer Law requires accurate origin disclosure on retail packaging; misrepresentation (e.g. labelling Vietnamese prawns as Australian) attracts serious ACCC enforcement action
⚠Seafood arriving with ice or in water (especially live product) must be declared to biosecurity officers on arrival regardless of value; failure to declare attracts infringement notices and the consignment may be seized or destroyed at the importer's cost
⚠No FTA exists between Australia and Sri Lanka, so MFN (general) tariff rates apply to all goods. A commercial invoice and packing list are required, and importers should confirm the correct tariff classification to avoid overpaying or underpaying duty.
⚠Goods of Sri Lankan origin do not qualify for preferential tariff treatment under any Australian FTA. A formal certificate of origin such as a GSP Form A may still be presented for record-keeping but confers no duty reduction benefit under Australian customs law.
⚠Biosecurity requirements under the Biosecurity Act 2015 are strictly enforced. Goods such as timber products, coir fibre, natural rubber items, dried spices and tea must be accompanied by appropriate phytosanitary certificates and may be subject to inspection or treatment on arrival by the Australian Border Force and DAFF.
⚠Apparel and footwear from Sri Lanka, which are major export categories, must comply with the Australian Consumer Law mandatory care labelling and fibre content disclosure requirements. Electrical goods must meet ACMA regulatory compliance mark obligations and relevant Australian standards under the Electrical Equipment Safety System.

Key documents required

DAFF Biosecurity Import Permit (mandatory for most fish and all live aquatic animals — apply well in advance as processing can take weeks)
Health certificate or sanitary certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country (must confirm product is fit for human consumption and free from specified pathogens)
CITES export permit from country of origin and Australian CITES import permit (required for all CITES-listed species including certain sharks, seahorses, and giant clams)
Commercial invoice with full species scientific name, product form, net/gross weight, country of harvest (not just processing), and unit price
Bill of lading or airway bill, packing list, and for chilled/frozen product, temperature logs or cold chain records to demonstrate integrity on arrival

Import tip

Lodge your biosecurity import permit application before booking freight — live and high-risk seafood permits can take 4–8 weeks to issue and the permit number must appear on shipping documentation; last-minute permit applications routinely cause costly demurrage and product loss at the border.

Calculate the total landed cost for Chapter 3 goods from Sri Lanka — duty, GST, IPC, and biosecurity included.

Calculate Landed Cost Find HS Code with AI

Other product categories imported from Sri Lanka

Ch.62Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted Ch.61Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted Ch.64Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles Ch.9Coffee, tea, maté and spices Ch.63Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags Ch.42Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silk-worm gut)