It's been more than five years since Australia has exported dairy products to India, a drought now broken by AQIS with the approval of a new health certificate by the Indian Ministry of Agriculture.

The Indian government advised on 19 February 2009 that it had approved the use of the new health certificate, developed by AQIS, and based on Australia's existing food safety and animal health systems.

Trade in Australian dairy products stopped in late 2003 when India changed its import requirements. The average annual value of Australian dairy product exported to India in the five years prior to the market closure was over $6 million. The Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, welcomed the news.

'I'm pleased that Australian producers will again have access to the Indian market for dairy products. This is the result of extensive efforts by the Australian Government and the dairy industry over the last several years,' Mr Burke said.

'The re-opening of trade is a further example of the growing agricultural relationship between Australia and India, and demonstrates the benefits of our ongoing cooperation on bilateral trade issues,' he said.

Indian importers are keen to take Australian high quality dairy products, and several Australian dairy exporters have already expressed a strong interest in exporting products for human consumption.

Australia is well placed to provide high value dairy products. There is real potential for the trade to grow, with increasing urbanisation in India and a growing middle class.