South Australian dairy exporters are encouraged to stay up to date with several recent developments affecting export certification, importing country requirements and market access arrangements.
Micor platform transition planned for July 2026
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is undertaking a major upgrade of the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) platform, with the new system scheduled to go live in July 2026. The transition has been funded by the Australian Government to ensure continued access to importing country requirements for Australian agricultural exports.
The current Micor platform is approaching the end of its supported life and will be replaced to improve security, reliability and ongoing service delivery. While the upgrade is expected to have minimal impact on users, exporters should be aware of several changes:
- All existing Micor content will be migrated to the new platform.
- The Micor website address will remain unchanged.
- Existing bookmarks to specific pages will need to be updated following the transition.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be introduced for access to password-protected content. Users will need to verify their identity using either a one-time code sent via email or an authenticator application.
To support the transition, DAFF is providing user guides, training materials and online demonstrations.
Türkiye introduces new transit certificate requirements
Exporters whose dairy products transit through Türkiye should be aware of new certification requirements that took effect from 1 April 2026. Turkish authorities have introduced a new transit health certificate model for products of animal origin, including dairy products.
The department has subsequently updated certificate template ZDTRT to align with the new requirements, with the revised certificate becoming available through NEXDOC from 15 April 2026.
Exporters are encouraged to work closely with importers and agents to ensure consignments meet both importing country and transit country requirements. Any exporters experiencing clearance issues with products transiting Türkiye should contact the department for assistance.
The department has also advised that consignments travelling with older certificate formats may be subject to commercial risk and that facilitation letters may be available in certain circumstances.
Saudi Arabia palletisation requirements postponed
There is welcome news for exporters shipping dairy products to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Ports Authority (MAWANI) has indefinitely postponed the implementation of previously announced palletisation requirements for inbound containerised cargo, including milk and milk products.
The requirement, which was outlined in earlier market access advice, will no longer be enforced until further notice. Exporters should continue to follow existing importing country requirements and maintain communication with importers to ensure ongoing compliance.
DAFF has advised that Micor will be updated to reflect the change and will notify industry if the situation changes in the future.
Other Micor updates
Recent updates to Micor have also included:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE): Additional information has been added regarding the export of trade samples.
- China: Updates have been made to exporter listings, CIFER registration information, food safety standards and other export guidance across multiple sections of the country requirements.
Stay Informed
Export requirements can change quickly and exporters are encouraged to regularly review Micor and subscribe to relevant updates to ensure they remain compliant with importing country requirements.
Click here to see the Micor website for more information.
For export-related enquiries, contact DAFF via email at exportstandards@aff.gov.au.