Customs

Prohibited and Restricted Imports & Exports list updated: Cheese & curd, coconuts and dyes

On 31 July 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) announced the update of the “Prohibited and Restricted Imports and Exports List” relating to:

  • Tariff subheading 0406.10, which is now subject to detention by State Vet, Port Health Officer (PHO) and the Border Management Authority (BMA); 
  • Tariff subheading 0801.12.10 must be detained for the PHO and the BMA Plant Inspection unit. A permit issued by the Directorate: Food Import and Export Standards (DFIES) is now also required; and
  • Tariff heading 3202.90 is now subject to detention by PHO.

The tariff subheading explanations are:

04 Dairy Produce; Birds’ Eggs; Natural Honey; Edible Products of Animal Origin, Not Elsewhere Specified or Included:

  • 0406 Cheese and curd
  • 0406.10 Fresh (unripened or uncured) cheese, including whey cheese, and
  • curd

08 Edible Fruit and Nuts; Peel of Citrus Fruit or Melons:

  • 0801 Coconuts, Brazil nuts and cashew nuts, fresh or dried, whether or not shelled or peeled:
  • 0801.1 Coconuts
  • 0801.12 In the inner shell (endocarp):
  • 0801.12.10 Fresh

32 Tanning or Dyeing Extracts; Tannins and Their Derivatives; Dyes, Pigments and Other Colouring Matter; Paints and Varnishes; Putty and Other Mastics; Inks

  • 3202 Synthetic organic tanning substances; inorganic tanning substances; tanning preparations, whether or not containing natural tanning substances; enzymatic preparations for pre-tanning:
  • 3202.90 Other

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