China bans Tasmanian timber imports

China has banned timber imports from Tasmania and South Australia over allegations of pests. THE LATEST >>

China has banned timber imports from Tasmania and South Australia over allegations of pests.

The suspension comes just weeks after China imposed a similar ban on Victorian and Queensland timber exports.

Australian wine, beef, barley and seafood have also been targeted by China this year in an escalating one-way trade fight.

A notice by China’s customs officials said timber logs that had left Tasmanian or SA ports since December 3 would not clear customs.

“Recently, the customs of Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, and Qingdao intercepted live forest pests from imported logs from Tasmania and South Australia,” the notice said.

Tasmania exported about $64.1 million of timber logs in 2019, including $44.2 million that went to China, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade figures show.

Assistant Minister for Forestry Jonathon Duniam said Chinese authorities had advised they had detected live pests of concern, including bark beetle, in timber consignments from five exporters, including one consignment from Tasmania.

“The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is working through officials in Beijing to clarify and resolve this,” Senator Duniam said.

“I am engaging closely with industry, and we are working at all levels to resolve these issues as soon as possible.”

An Australian Forest Products Association spokesman said the industry had worked with the Federal Agriculture Department to develop reforms to phytosanitary processes “that we hope will address the Chinese Government’s phytosanitary concerns and allow for the resumption of the log trade as soon as possible”.

“The alleged incidents that Chinese Customs has cited in relation to the Tasmania and South Australia suspensions predate the introduction of these tighter measures,” he said.

“AFPA is also in ongoing discussions with Australian governments on the significant impact the suspension of the log trade is having across the forest industries supply chain.”

Industry would require short and long-term assistance to avoid job losses and mill closures if the situation continued into 2021, he said.