Which tariff line does a Australia importer declare for bulk shea butter?

Start from HS heading 1515.90. Australia extends that heading to the national line recorded on this page (Australian Customs Tariff 1515.90). The importer, not the exporter's six-digit invoice code, confirms the full statistical number on the Australia tariff for the entry date.

Does AICIS make a Nigerian factory register before selling shea butter into Australia?

AICIS rules apply to the Australia responsible person or importer for finished cosmetics or food, as this guide states. A factory that only supplies bulk drums should not assume it must open a local portal account. Finished-product notification stays with the buyer in Australia.

Which documents travel with a Lagos container bound for Sydney?

EMI Agro issues the commercial invoice, packing list and a Certificate of Analysis per batch. The carrier issues the bill of lading. Nigerian export files (certificate of origin and Form NXP) travel with the shipment. Australia import filings — the customs declaration and any AICIS notice — are the buyer's.

How long does a typical West Africa service take from Lagos to Sydney?

Ocean time to Sydney is shown on this page as a typical West Africa container range, not a booked schedule. Confirm the live ETD/ETA on the carrier tool when you book. Inland time from Sydney to a warehouse in Australia is extra.

Is shea butter duty-free in Australia?

Duty follows the vegetable-fat / oils-and-fats bracket on heading 1515.90 in Australia, plus VAT or GST where charged. Some markets (for example a Free general rate on a nut-oil line) publish a zero Column 1 rate; others do not. Read the tariff note on this page and confirm on the entry date. EMI Agro does not compute landed duty.

What language belongs on a Australia shea butter label?

Labelling in English. Bulk industrial drums follow the language agreed on the contract. Finished consumer packs follow AICIS labelling rules in Australia.

Import guide

How to Import Shea Butter into Australia

Tariff line, regulator, documents, transit from Lagos and clearance for Australia — every fact sourced and dated.

Shea butter enters Australia under HS heading 1515.90 — Australian Customs Tariff 1515.90.00 in the national tariff — and is overseen by AICIS for cosmetic use and FSANZ for food use. To import it, confirm the tariff line and duty, complete the AICIS registration is of the Australian business, not of each drum, assemble the documents below, ship from Lagos to Sydney (30–48 days) and clear customs with ABF.

Key facts for importing shea butter into Australia (sources and dates in References)

Customs authority: The Australian Border Force (ABF) takes the import declaration on the Integrated Cargo System. Shea butter is declared under heading 1515.90 on Schedule 3 of the Customs Tariff.
Cosmetics authority: The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) regulates cosmetic ingredients as industrial chemicals. A business that introduces (imports) cosmetic chemicals for sale must register with AICIS before the first introduction, with no value threshold.
Food authority: Food-use shea butter follows the Imported Food Control Act as applied by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry against Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) standards.
National tariff line: Australian Customs Tariff 1515.90.00
Product notification: AICIS registration is of the Australian business, not of each drum. There is no separate finished-cosmetic notification scheme equivalent to CPNP for a bulk raw-material introduction.
Ports of discharge: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
Transit from Lagos: 30–48 days
Certification priority: AICIS registration (buyer), HACCP, COSMOS
Labelling language: Labelling in English
Specific to Australia: AICIS is the named Australia authority on this page.
Specific to Australia (2): Lagos boxes for Australia are planned for Sydney (AUSYD).
Specific to Australia (3): Sydney is the named inland or port hub for Australia.

Nigerian shea butter for Australia

Shea trees are not a commercial Australian crop. A formulator in Sydney or a filler in Melbourne is buying a Nigerian or West African fat landed at Sydney. AICIS treats cosmetic shea as an industrial-chemical introduction; Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane split the east-coast doors. EMI Agro works with 5,000+ women collectors in Kwara, Niger, Kaduna, Kogi. Sydney is the usual discharge.

Ask for a batch COA on a NIS 571:2013 basis: free fatty acid, peroxide value, moisture, colour and melting point. Reject lots that smell sharply rancid or pour like liquid oil at room temperature. AICIS filings sit with the Australia importer — they do not replace a COA.

Trial lots start at 5 tonnes; standard orders start at 20 tonnes. Send the request even if you need less — EMI Agro reviews every Australia enquiry against current production of 40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments. Lead time is Ibadan production plus ocean time to Sydney. Quotes are EXW, FOB or CIF; each term prices different services beyond the butter.

What are you buying shea butter for in Australia?

Two questions. We show the grade, the documents that usually apply and the next step — we do not invent a price.

Use

Quantity

Step 1 — Classify & tariff

Shea butter is classified under HS heading 1515.90 worldwide; Australia extends it to the national line below.

Tariff classification for shea butter in Australia (sources and dates in References)
Item	Value	Source
HS heading	1515.90 — global	Harmonized System
National tariff line	Australian Customs Tariff 1515.90.00 — Other (statistical code 50). Confirm the line on the ABF current tariff for the entry date.	abf.gov.au
Duty and tax note	ABF Schedule 3 lists 1515.90.00 Other as Free.	abf.gov.au
Preference scheme and proof of origin	Goods and Services Tax is extra on most imports. Confirm any concession or preference for Nigerian origin on the tariff for the entry date. This is the published oils-and-fats line, not a shea-only rate.	abf.gov.au

ABF Schedule 3 lists 1515.90.00 Other as Free. Goods and Services Tax is extra on most imports. Confirm any concession or preference for Nigerian origin on the tariff for the entry date. This is the published oils-and-fats line, not a shea-only rate.

Why the first six digits are the same everywhere is explained in the exporting and importing shea butter guide.

2
Step 2 — Regulatory registration
In Australia, cosmetic-grade shea butter falls under AICIS; food-grade under the food authority.
Almost all cosmetic ingredients, including plant oils and butters, are industrial chemicals under AICIS. The Australian introducer checks the Inventory listing (or categorises an unlisted chemical) and files the annual declaration. The Nigerian plant does not hold that AICIS registration.
AICIS registration is of the Australian business, not of each drum. There is no separate finished-cosmetic notification scheme equivalent to CPNP for a bulk raw-material introduction.
Edible-fat imports are assessed against FSANZ food standards at the border. The Australian importer is the food business.
Finished cosmetics sold to Australian consumers need English particulars. Bulk drums follow the contract language.
Buyers in Australia most often ask for AICIS registration (buyer), HACCP and COSMOS; status is on our certifications page. See AICIS registration (buyer), HACCP, COSMOS and our certifications page.

Step 3 — Required documents

The documents below are those AICIS lists for a shea butter consignment; EMI Agro issues the ones marked as ours.

Documents for importing shea butter into Australia (sources and dates in References)
Document	Issued by	When
Commercial invoice	EMI Agro	At booking
Packing list	EMI Agro	At stuffing
Bill of lading	Carrier	On vessel departure
Certificate of Analysis (per batch)	EMI Agro	With shipping documents
Certificate of origin	Nigerian agency	Before shipment
Form NXP	Nigerian agency	Before shipment
ICS / ABF import declaration	Buyer / importer	Before release from the port
AICIS business registration (cosmetic-ingredient introductions)	Buyer / importer	Before the first commercial introduction

Nigerian export-side documents are explained in how to import shea butter from Nigeria; the COA format is on the certificate of analysis page.

Step 4 — Shipping & Incoterms

EMI Agro loads at Apapa (Lagos) and Tin Can Island (Lagos) for Australia discharge at the ports below.

Typical sea transit from Lagos to Australia (port-to-port days; confirm on the booking)
Port	UN/LOCODE	Transit (days)	Schedules read on
Sydney	AUSYD	30–48	September 2026
Melbourne	AUMEL	30–48	September 2026
Brisbane	AUBNE	30–48	September 2026

EXW: buyer arranges collection, freight and insurance from the factory.
FOB: EMI Agro delivers on board at the named Lagos port; buyer arranges ocean freight.
CIF: EMI Agro arranges freight and insurance to the named discharge port.

Container configuration is calculated separately — use the shea export container calculator and the container notes on the export overview.

5
Step 5 — Customs clearance & inspection
Clearance in Australia is handled through AICIS.
Boxes discharge at Sydney (AUSYD), Melbourne (AUMEL) or Brisbane (AUBNE). The importer's broker lodges the ICS entry. Food-use lots follow DAFF imported-food controls in addition to the ABF declaration.

Working with EMI Agro

MOQ: Standard orders start at 20 tonnes. Trial lots start at 5 tonnes. Smaller volumes can still be requested — we review every enquiry against current production.
Lead time: Lead time is Ibadan production time plus ocean time to the named port. EMI Agro produces 40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter and can schedule rolling shipments. Exact weeks depend on the quantity on the purchase order.
Incoterms: EXW, FOB, CIF
Samples: Trial lots start at 5 tonnes of the named grade. Send the request even if you need less — we review whether we can supply.
Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) and Tin Can Island (Lagos)

For Australia buyers our supplier page covers MOQ, price basis, packaging and lead time in detail. Shea butter supplier in Australia.

For commodity background see the complete guide to shea butter.

How to import shea butter into the United States

How to import shea butter into the European Union

How to import shea butter into Germany

How to import shea butter from Nigeria

Nigerian export-side procedure before the container sails.

Shea export container calculator

How many drums fit a container.

Exporting shea butter from Nigeria

HS heading, load ports and the country-guide hub.

Certificate of Analysis

How a batch COA is reported.

Frequently asked questions

References & standards

abf.gov.au (accessed 13 September 2026)
industrialchemicals.gov.au (accessed 13 September 2026)
foodstandards.gov.au (accessed 13 September 2026)
agriculture.gov.au (accessed 13 September 2026)
maersk.com (accessed 13 September 2026)

Last reviewed September 2026 by EMI Agro Industries QC team.

Manufacturer-direct from Ibadan, Nigeria

Get an export quote for Australia

Tell us grade, volume and your port of discharge in Australia; we reply with pricing, the document set and a current COA.

You have just read How to Import Shea Butter into Australia. The next step is a real lot from the factory that produces it — EMI Agro, with factory-direct pricing and a batch Certificate of Analysis.

Trusted manufacturer
EMI Agro Industries Limited (RC 9364495) presses the butter in Ibadan — we are not a trading company.
Competitive factory-direct prices
Quoted EXW, FOB or CIF — the buyer chooses. You pay the factory, not a chain of middlemen.
Export-ready supply
We ship to European Union, United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Southeast Asia, China, India, Middle East, Latin America. Load ports: Apapa (Lagos) or Tin Can Island (Lagos).
Documented lots
40 tonnes per week of finished shea butter, a Certificate of Analysis on every batch, NAFDAC registered and SON approved.

Request an export quote