Importers of certain dairy-based products containing less than 5% dairy for human consumption are now required to obtain a Veterinary Import Permit (VIP) before shipment, under an import notice issued by South Africa's Department of Agriculture.
The notice requires applications to be submitted through the department's E-Cert platform, where a dedicated option has been created for products containing less than 5% dairy.
The permit must be accompanied by one of the following to verify the dairy content of the imported product:
- a report from an accredited laboratory;
- product labelling indicating the dairy percentage; or
- verification by a government authority.
The department said a veterinary health certificate would not be required for these imports. However, the Veterinary Import Permit number must appear on the consignment documentation to enable officials to match the permit to the imported goods.
Failure to comply with the permit requirements could result in consignments being detained by the Border Management Authority at the port of entry, the notice states.
