With the Year of the Dragon fast approaching, Australian authorities are warning importers and travellers to take a fierce approach to biosecurity this Lunar New Year.
While many organic items might make for traditional gifts, they could pose risks to Australia's environment and agriculture - and a headache for gift-givers whose presents have been stopped at the border.
Deputy secretary for biosecurity Dr Chris Locke said it is everybody's responsibility to be aware of biosecurity restrictions, all year round.
"We acknowledge that Lunar New Year is a time of celebration, and traditional gifts are often exchanged to mark this joyous occasion," Dr Locke said.
"However, to avoid disappointment during this event it's important to know what can and cannot be brought into Australia."
All traditional foods and animal products such as mooncakes, duck eggs, sausages and fresh or dried fruit should all be declared by incoming passengers or on postal declaration labels.
Pork products are high on the biosecurity agenda because of the potential to introduce both foot and mouth disease and African swine fever.
Other products containing plant or animal material, such as bamboo shoots, bird's nests or herbal medicines, might also be refused entry into Australia.
A wide variety of common Lunar New Year gifts could present a biosecurity risk:
- Meat products, including chicken, beef and pork sausages, whether fresh, frozen, dried, preserved or cured.
- Whole eggs and products containing eggs, such as duck eggs and mooncakes.
- Dairy products such as milk and yoghurt.
- Fresh and dried fruit, including dates, citrus, persimmons, lychees and longans.
- Plant products such as banana leaves and fresh bamboo shoots.
- Traditional herbal medicines containing ganoderma fungus or cordyceps.
- Bird's nests.
- Rice.
People celebrating the Lunar New Year are being encouraged to support local businesses when buying gifts and skip the hassle of potential biosecurity issues.
Australian residents are also being asked to remind family and friends overseas to check if the gifts they want to bring or mail to Australia are permitted into the country.
International travellers who fail to comply with biosecurity measures, don't declare risk goods or provide false information could face fines as high as $6,260.
"Biosecurity precautions safeguard Australia against the introduction of diseases or pests and protect our agriculture industries, environment and way of life," Dr Locke said.
"We encourage international travellers to be mindful and compliant of our biosecurity regulations."
