Date of issue: 2 October 2026
Date of effect: 15 September 2026
Reference Number: MAA 2026-07
Attention
- Industries — Industry bodies — Australian Honey Bee Industry Council, Australian Food and Grocery Council
- Honey establishments
- Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Central and Regional offices
- Exporters, and NEXDOC users
Purpose
This Market Access Advice (MAA) notifies stakeholders of new palletisation requirements for container-based trade (including honey and other edible non-prescribed goods) intended for export to Oman.
Key points
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has confirmed the Royal Oman Police, represented by the Directorate General of Customs, have announced the commencement of the mandatory use of pallets in the loading and stowage of imported goods via shipping container (including honey and other edible non-prescribed goods) to Oman.
This new requirement came into effect on 15 July 2026 for consignments arriving through land border crossings and on 15 September 2026 for consignments arriving through air and seaports.
Exporters must ensure that consignments expected to arrive in Oman on or after this period utilise wooden, plastic or metal pallets for product stowage. The department understands that consignments that do not utilise pallets may be rejected and returned to the country of origin.
The department is engaging with relevant Omani authorities to clarify the requirement, including potentially seeking exemptions or alternative measures, and will keep the industry updated as information becomes available.
Micor
The Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor) will be updated to reflect this market access advice. The department encourages users of Micor to subscribe to the Micor update service for a commodity-specific email that lists changes that have been made the preceding week.
Further information
Contact exportstandards@aff.gov.au if you have any queries.
The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.