Importing coffee from overseas

[namahage]

Just out of curiousity I checked AQIS requirement for green coffee beans importation. There is this importation permit, which applies for 12 months per application per vendor/broker. Then if the order is more than 5 kg, it is considered commercial import...and the process can get really hairy (with inspection letter, quarantine, fumigation and stuff)

Under 5 kilo...maybe, has anybody in this forum done it?

Cheers;

Rudy

[TC]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Just out of curiousity I checked AQIS requirement for green coffee beans importation. There is this importation permit, which applies for 12 months per application per vendor/broker. Then if the order is more than 5 kg, it is considered commercial import...and the process can get really hairy (with inspection letter, quarantine, fumigation and stuff)  

Under 5 kilo...maybe, has anybody in this forum done it?

Cheers;

Rudy

<<<<<<<<<<<<&l t;<<
Hi Rudy, I am unsure why youd want to when a great variety of greens is available to you in BeanBay and from a number of sponsors just over yonder  :-?

Its not as if youre going to save a lotto win by the time freight is factored in?

[namahage]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Agree 2mcm, considering the excellent green stock sourced by Andy monthly, at very low price I might add.

Just curious of the process, besides if one ever yearn to try for that certain coffee...

[NewToEspresso]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Probably a related topic to this, I have a friend holidaying in Hawaii at the moment and hes said that they can get their hands on some Kona Hawaii beans and asked if Id like some. I mentioned that I prefer greens to roasted but wasnt sure what the AQIS requirements are for bringing them in. Its only going to be 1kg at the most, anyone know whether its possible to bring them in? Dont mind the quarantine time or if I have to pick them up later etc.. just not sure if its more complicated than that or involves more costs than its worth..

[namahage]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

:

I suppose...I might add my reason why I checked AQIS in the first place.

Kopi luwak. A coffee broker in Sumatra that I know, he gave up selling this stuff and ended up hoarding it for personal use.

When he is being generous (like last month) I would get 1/4 kilo, roasted.
He is a good roaster, but I just like to try my hand on unroasted stock but cant bring in green stuff unless with import permit...

[Koffee_Kosmo]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Just a thought
You should arrange an introduction
Denis and Kopi and if they can strike a bargain we can all benefit

KK

[namahage]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Nope, tried that, he is just not selling

He gives when he felt like it, strange guy...and he got another kilo for me, unroasted.

Ill probably let it sit like that until I visit Sumatra again early next year.

[namahage]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Can do e-form at AQIS website, but they will need supplier and importer details. And looks like they will do visual inspection for 5 kilo or smaller batch.

Hmm...not worth it, eh? Ill let the big boys do the importing and will bring my heat gun to Sumatra next year.

[Javaphile]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Probably a related topic to this, I have a friend holidaying in Hawaii at the moment and hes said that they can get their hands on some Kona Hawaii beans and asked if Id like some.

Keep in mind that not all Konas are created equal. Theres great Konas and theres pretty horrible Konas. Saying a coffee is a Kona is like saying its a Tarrazu. It gives you a location but says nothing about quality.

As to getting the beans into Oz, do a site search as I seem to recall another user bringing some beans back from Hawaii a while back.


Java "Saying a mantra of the 7 banned words in honor of George" phile

[Andy]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas


AQIS sent me a letter a few years ago when someone sent me some Kopi Luwak from Indo. AQIS laughed at the chances of ever getting it into the country green and to this day I only know of roasted beans getting here.

I suspect you might introduce a whole host of potential nasties in an unwashed Luwak coffee and you wouldnt want to pay very much for washed beans. I read that indonesia sells more than twice the volume of Kopi Luwak that is produced so ergo, at least half are fake.

Bringing beans back from Hawaii? That was Fatboy

[fatboy_1999]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Yep. I am the mad fool that brought green Kona home.
As Andy said, proper unroasted Kopi Luwak is not going to get through Australian Quarantine.

The Kona was simple enough.
I just put Various suppliers on the form and it was fine.
Was it worth it? Probably not. Most farms are not really set up to sell green and certainly charge a LOT for the beans (roasted and green).

As Javaphile states "Not all Konas are created equal", so it might be a worthwhile exercise if you knew of a specific one you liked.

BTW - Coming home through quarantine, declaring the beans and showing the permit just caused confusion really. In the end a team of 4 people looking at a computer screen ended up with "Is it under 5kg?"
"Yes".
"Right. Off you go".

Cost of permit, and beans made it a fairly expensive exercise.
Still have a batch to roast though!

Brett.

[NewToEspresso]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

How much did the permit cost? I was thinking that perhaps my friend would hand carry back at the most 1kg of green konas and declare it at immigration. Will that work or will he need to get a permit prior to bringing it back?

[fatboy_1999]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

All the info I read suggested I needed the permit before I left.
I have a saved e-mail from the AQIS that tells me it would be $33 to apply on-line.
I cant recall if that was the total cost or there was another fee along the way (possibly making it forty something dollars).

So, add the cost of the 1 kilo of Kona and that makes it pretty pricey all up.

[NewToEspresso]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Ill try and let my friend know NOT to get the beans then otherwise they might be in for a rude shock when they arrive

[fatboy_1999]

Re: Importing coffee from overseas

Just looked at my bank statement from when I paid for the permit and it was $33 in total.
One fee for $16 and one fee for $17.
Something like the permit fee and the online application fee. Been taking lessons from the banks!