Importation, sale and labelling of peanut products

Question

1. Is the Department aware of allegations regarding the importation and sale of peanut products labelled as ''lightly roasted'' but marketed and sold in Australia as raw peanuts? 2. Has the Department undertaken any investigation into alleged imports of peanut products from China and Brazil that may not comply with Australia's biosecurity or import requirements? 3. What compliance checks are undertaken by the Department to verify whether imported peanut products labelled as ''lightly roasted'' meet Australia's import conditions? 4. How does the Department distinguish between roasted and raw peanut imports for biosecurity assessment purposes? 5. Has the Department identified any instances of mislabeling or fraudulent import documentation relating to peanut imports in the past five years? 6. Can the Department outline what enforcement actions are available where imported food products are found to have been falsely labelled to circumvent biosecurity requirements? 7. Has the Department received complaints or referrals regarding Universal Intertrade Pty Ltd, Bob Harman, or any related entities in relation to peanut imports? 8. What assessment has been made of the potential biosecurity and food safety risks posed by imported peanuts that may not have undergone compliant treatment processes? 9. What engagement has the Department had with Australian peanut growers and processors regarding concerns over imported peanut products and market impacts? 10. Does the Department believe current import compliance and enforcement frameworks are sufficient to detect and deter the alleged mislabeling of imported agricultural products? 11. Will the Department commit to reviewing these allegations and providing an update to affected Australian producers and processors? 12. What measures DAFF will put in place to prevent the continued importation of raw peanuts that are incorrectly classified, and to ensure that non-compliant products are recalled, destroyed, or processed in accordance with the law?

Answer

Please see PDF attachment.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000496.pdf (opens in a new tab)