NAQIA Biosecurity and Quarantine Rules Explained: A Guide for Importers to PNG
PNG takes biosecurity seriously, and the rules reach far beyond food. This guide explains how biosecurity clearance works, which goods need permits, what inspectors look for, and what the move from NAQIA to Biosecurity PNG means for importers.
In this guide
- In 2025, PNG’s Parliament passed the Biosecurity Bill, creating Biosecurity PNG to replace NAQIA.
- All imported goods and their packaging can be inspected, not just food and agricultural products.
- Plant, animal and biological products need an import permit before they’re shipped.
- Soil, live pests and untreated wood packaging are common reasons for holds, treatment or rejection.
From NAQIA to Biosecurity PNG
For almost three decades, biosecurity at PNG’s borders has been managed by the National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA), established in 1997. In June 2025, Parliament unanimously passed the Biosecurity Bill 2025, which establishes a new PNG Biosecurity Authority, known as Biosecurity PNG, to replace NAQIA.
The new law repeals the NAQIA Act and consolidates older laws, including the Quarantine Act 1953, the Animal Disease Control Act 1952 and the Plant Disease and Control Act 1953, into a single modern framework.
For importers, the practical message is to check names, forms and fees for each shipment. Many permits, guides and trading partners still refer to NAQIA, while some official sources, including Australia’s Micor export database, now refer to the PNG Biosecurity Authority. Your customs broker should know which arrangements currently apply.
What biosecurity covers
Biosecurity controls aim to keep out pests, diseases and weeds that could damage PNG’s agriculture, environment and economy. That’s why the rules apply to imported goods of every kind, along with their packaging, the containers they travel in, and the ships and aircraft that carry them.
Controls also apply within PNG. To contain African swine fever, for example, the movement of live pigs and pig products out of the Highlands has been banned.
Goods that need an import permit
Animals and animal products, plants and plant products, and biological products such as micro-organisms need an import permit before they’re imported. In practice, that captures a wide range of commercial cargo, including many processed and fresh foods, seeds, plants, timber products, animal feeds, meat and dairy products, and live animals.
Applications are lodged with the biosecurity authority’s permit office for screening and approval. The permit sets out the conditions the goods must meet, such as treatments or certificates from the exporting country, and the original permit must be presented for quarantine clearance.
Certificates from the exporting country
Many permits require a certificate from the exporting country’s authorities: a phytosanitary certificate for plants and plant products, a health certificate for animal products, or a treatment certificate confirming fumigation or heat treatment.
Australian exporters can check PNG’s conditions for many products in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Micor database. Dried dates are a typical example: they need a PNG import permit and a phytosanitary certificate, must be free of pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material, and must be packed in new or cleaned packaging.
Inspection on arrival
On arrival, officers check that the consignment matches the permit conditions and that the goods and their packaging are free of pests and disease. Depending on what they find, the consignment may be released, treated at the importer’s expense, re-exported or destroyed.
The most common triggers for a hold include:
- soil on used vehicles, machinery and equipment;
- untreated or unmarked wood packaging;
- undeclared food or plant material in mixed consignments or personal effects;
- live insects or other pests in the goods or the container;
- containers with contaminated floors or residues;
- missing permits or certificates.
Practical tips for importers
- Check whether your goods need a permit before you place the order.
- Make sure the permit name, product description and quantities match your shipping documents.
- Ask your supplier to arrange any required certificates and treatments before shipment.
- Clean used equipment thoroughly and get evidence of cleaning before it’s shipped.
- Use only ISPM-15 compliant wood packaging, or switch to plastic or metal pallets.
- Declare anything that might be a biosecurity risk; undeclared items attract the harshest outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
Is NAQIA still operating?
The Biosecurity Bill passed in 2025 establishes Biosecurity PNG to replace NAQIA. During the transition, check the current name, forms and fees with your customs broker or the authority directly.
Are non-food goods inspected?
Yes. All imported goods can be subject to quarantine inspection, along with their packaging and the container.
Can I apply for a permit after my goods arrive?
You shouldn’t. Permits are required before import, and goods that arrive without one can be held, treated, re-exported or destroyed.
Where can Australian exporters check PNG’s requirements?
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Micor database lists PNG’s import conditions for many plant and animal products.
More on customs and import requirements
Sources
Philip Thomas
Philip is the lead author and editor at Phantom8. He writes practical guides to shipping freight into Papua New Guinea, with a focus on choosing the right port, clearing customs and planning the inland leg.
General information only. This guide is general in nature and isn’t legal, customs or logistics advice for your specific shipment. Port operations, road conditions, schedules and charges change, so confirm the details with your freight forwarder, transport operator or the relevant authority before you ship.