Australia DAFF Seafood Imports: Indonesia 2025 Guide

A practical, step-by-step playbook for Indonesian exporters and Australian importers to meet DAFF/BICON rules for raw prawns in 2025, including WSSV/YHV PCR testing, sampling, approved labs, and certificate wording.

Hook

We’ve taken Indonesian raw prawn programs from repeated biosecurity holds to consistent same-day clearances in Australia. The difference wasn’t luck. It was a tight, DAFF-ready system built around product spec, pre-export PCR, and paperwork that mirrors BICON line by line.

If you’re planning Indonesia-to-Australia shipments in 2025, here’s the exact playbook we use, the mistakes we avoid, and the wording that actually works at the border.

The 3 pillars of DAFF compliance for Indonesian raw prawns

1. Product eligibility and specification. Choose the correct BICON pathway and cut to spec. For the “raw prawns for human consumption” pathway, prawns must be peeled and deveined. Heads and shells removed. Tails may remain if allowed by the importer’s permit. Keep the spec consistent across the entire lot.

2. Pre-export testing protocol. Each consignment lot needs WSSV and YHV PCR testing performed by an Indonesian lab accredited for these methods and operating under the Indonesian competent authority (BKIPM). Chain of custody, lot identification, and pooling plans must be clear.

3. Paperwork that matches BICON exactly. The importer must hold a valid BICON import permit. Your BKIPM health certificate needs specific declarations about the product form, PCR results, and seal integrity. When wording and product spec match the import permit, border outcomes improve dramatically.

Practical takeaway: Before you cut a single prawn, make sure the product spec, sampling plan, and certificate wording align with the exact BICON case conditions the importer will use.

Week 1–2: Validate your pathway and set the spec

Start with the importer’s BICON permit for “Prawns and prawn meat for human consumption.” Confirm the case requirements and any permit notes, then lock your production spec and paperwork against that.

• Define the exact product form: peeled and deveined, headless, tail-on/off, glazing percentage, pack size, lot size.
• Confirm your establishment is in good standing with BKIPM and your QA program references the prawn pathway.
• Line up an approved lab with ISO/IEC 17025 scope covering WSSV/YHV PCR methods used for trade.

Do raw Indonesian prawns need to be peeled and deveined to enter Australia?

Yes. Under the raw pathway, prawns must be peeled and deveined. We supply this routinely from Indonesia. If you’re buying, specify “P&D” clearly in the PO and shipment docs. In our experience, inconsistent “P&D” definitions are a top cause of avoidable border holds.

Are marinated, battered, or breaded prawns treated as cooked under Australia’s rules?

No. They’re still raw. Some “highly processed” raw products may have a different BICON pathway than plain raw P&D prawns, but they are not considered cooked. The conditions and declarations are different. When in doubt, treat non-heat-treated product as raw and verify the exact BICON case with the importer.

Do I need a BICON import permit for raw prawns to Australia in 2025?

Yes. A valid import permit is mandatory for raw prawns. Align every detail of your product, test report, and certificate with that permit. We’ve found that permits issued in late 2024 and early 2025 put extra emphasis on chain-of-custody references in test reports.

Practical takeaway: Lock your P&D spec and verify the importer’s active permit before production. If the permit mentions any special conditions, mirror the language on the certificate.

Week 3–6: Run pre-export PCR and finalize documents

This phase makes or breaks clearance.

• Define your “consignment lot.” Use a single production date range, one species, one size grade, and uniform product form. Keep lot codes and outer-carton IDs consistent.

• Draft your consignment sampling plan. For raw prawns, the common plan we see DAFF accept is 60 individual prawns per consignment lot up to 20 tonnes, tested for WSSV and YHV using PCR in 6 pooled samples of 10. For larger lots or mixed specs, scale sampling as advised by BKIPM and the lab. Always verify against the current BICON case because sample size rules can be adjusted in updates.

• Set up chain of custody. Identify who sampled, when, and how. Use tamper-evident bags with lot codes, pool numbers, and temperature logs. Record every handover.

• PCR testing. Ensure the lab method, controls, and reporting format match BKIPM/DAFF expectations. We target a 3–5 working day turnaround so we can ship in week 6 without rushing paperwork.

How many samples are required for WSSV/YHV testing per consignment?

For the raw prawn pathway, a widely applied plan is 60 prawns per lot up to 20 tonnes, pooled into 6 x 10 for WSSV and YHV PCR. Some permits specify different sampling for larger volumes or particular risk settings. Confirm the current BICON case and the importer’s permit notes. When in doubt, we upsize sampling to avoid rework.

Which Indonesian laboratories are accepted for DAFF-compliant prawn PCR testing?

DAFF accepts test reports endorsed by the Indonesian competent authority. In practice, use BKIPM laboratories or private ISO/IEC 17025 labs that are BKIPM-accredited for WSSV and YHV PCR. Ask your lab for:

• ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation certificate with WSSV/YHV in scope.
• The exact PCR method references and validation summary.
• A report template that names the lot ID, product form, chain-of-custody detail, and final interpretation (negative/positive) for both WSSV and YHV.

If you need a vetted lab shortlist or a sampling template, Contact us on whatsapp. We can share what’s worked for our Indonesia–Australia runs.

What exact wording should go on the Indonesian health certificate?

Your BKIPM certificate should align to the importer’s permit and the BICON case. This sample structure has cleared consistently for us:

• Product description: “Peeled and deveined raw prawns, frozen, [species], [size grade], [tail-on/off].”
• Origin and processing: “Product of Indonesia. Processed in an approved establishment under HACCP.”
• Testing declaration: “A representative consignment sample was tested by PCR and returned negative results for White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and Yellowhead Virus (YHV). Testing performed by [Lab name], ISO/IEC 17025-accredited, report no. [xxxx], date [dd/mm/yyyy].”
• Compliance statement: “The consignment complies with the import conditions for prawns and prawn meat for human consumption as set out in BICON.”
• Identification: “Consignment lot ID [xxx], container seal [xxx], production dates [dd–dd/mm/yyyy], carton count [xxx].”

Note: Some permits request specific phrasing such as “tested with negative results for WSSV and YHV.” Use that exact phrase where possible.

Practical takeaway: Get the lab report first, then build your certificate around the report details and the permit language. Consistency is everything.

Week 7–12: Ship, clear, and scale

• Sealing and pre-alert. Seal the container after packing and testing. Share the test report, BKIPM health certificate, packing list, and seal numbers with the importer well before arrival. Use the same lot IDs across all documents.
• Border outcomes. Most consignments with clean PCR and tight paperwork move quickly. If DAFF selects your shipment for verification testing, the chain-of-custody clarity you built will help.

What happens if a consignment tests positive for WSSV at the Australian border?

DAFF will direct the consignment. Options are usually re-export, destruction, or diversion to a DAFF-approved pathway that may include full cook treatment under control. Costs and delays fall to the importer. It also triggers intensified scrutiny of subsequent consignments from the same supply chain.

Are breaded prawns exempt from WSSV testing?

Not categorically. “Breaded” or “marinated” doesn’t equal cooked. These products often fall under a related BICON pathway with its own conditions and documentation. If the product is raw, expect scrutiny. Always verify the exact BICON case for “highly processed” raw prawns in 2025 before committing production.

Recent trend we’re seeing: Since late 2024, DAFF has put extra focus on chain-of-custody and the alignment of test reports with the precise product form described on the permit. Good paperwork wins time.

Practical takeaway: Build a repeatable lot structure, keep product and paperwork consistent, and expect spot verifications. The more disciplined your first two shipments, the faster you can scale volume in weeks 9–12.

The 5 biggest mistakes we see (and how to avoid them)

1. Sampling after mixing lots. Always sample before lots are mixed or repacked. Keep cartons and pallet IDs locked to a single lot.
2. Vague lab scope. Use labs with ISO/IEC 17025 scope explicitly covering WSSV and YHV PCR for crustaceans. Ask for the scope page.
3. Certificate language that doesn’t match the permit. Mirror phrases like “peeled and deveined raw prawns” and “tested with negative results for WSSV and YHV.”
4. Overcomplicating product forms. Multiple grades, tails, or glazing within one lot create “non-uniform” product that can be questioned. Keep it simple at the beginning.
5. Ignoring BICON updates. Conditions can be revised. Before every booking, re-check the BICON “Prawns and prawn meat for human consumption” case and the importer’s permit notes.

Resources and next steps

• If you need Indonesia-origin supply cut exactly to the P&D pathway and supported by DAFF-ready testing and documents, we produce to spec. See our Frozen Shrimp (Black Tiger, Vannamei & Wild Caught) and then View our products for formats we run for Australia.
• For tailored advice on WSSV/YHV sampling plans, lab selection, or certificate wording, message us with your permit conditions and planned lot size. We’ll share a consignment sampling template and our current certificate phrasing. If that would save you a customs headache, Contact us on whatsapp.

Final thought: Australia is strict, but predictable when you follow the system. Align to the right BICON case, prove WSSV/YHV freedom via a clean chain of custody, and make your paperwork look like it was written for that permit. Do that, and 2025 will feel less like roulette and more like a schedule you can bank on.