Australia’s rich ethnic and religious diversity is usually a cause for celebration, but the increasingly popularity of cultural festivals and the overseas origins of gifts associated with them has prompted a biosecurity alert at the federal Department of Agriculture.

As the Hindu festival of Rakhi – which is on August 10 this year – fast approaches, the run up to the event has turned into one of the busiest times of the year for the Department of Agriculture’s biosecurity officers.

Observed globally, Rakhi celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, or good friends of the opposite sex, with participants exchanging traditional gifts, principally Rakhi friendship bracelets, which can often be made of seeds and plants.

Agriculture says that last year “tens of thousands of festival gifts” came into Australia through the mail in readiness for Rakhi and that some could introduce plant or animal pests and diseases into the country.

Other potentially hazardous gifts marking Rakhi include imported dried fruit and traditional Indian sweets which contain milk, such as barfi, mysore pak, gulab jamun, rasgulla or pedas.

But there’s a fine line to tread in terms of biosecurity vigilance and cultural sensitivity, especially when it comes to fostering community awareness through education.

Rather than just binning gifts posing biosecurity threats, Agriculture has taken to its website to suggest bio-safe alternatives that family and friends can send during the lead up to the festival.

They include as Rakhi threads made from cotton, plastic or fabric; gold or silver beads; coins; personalised photographs and artificial flowers.

Even so, incoming international mail will still be screened using x-ray machines, detector dogs or manual inspection, to make sure mail doesn’t contain any nasties.

The biosecurity challenge for festivals also extends to all corners of the globe.

With the 2011 Census counting the proportion of Australians born overseas at 26 per cent, and a further 20 per cent with at least one overseas-born parent, there are plenty of other religious and cultural festivals to keep Agriculture’s biosecurity staff busy virtually all-year round.

St Patrick’s Day has been known to set off alarm bells thanks to its lucky flower kits, which can contain a basket, soil or compost and seeds … which in turn can harbour bacteria, live insects, borer pests and plant diseases not present in Australia.

Irish straw crosses and shillelaghs (wooden walking sticks) can also carry bio-nasties that threaten Australia’s farmers, environment or community health.

Instead, the Agriculture suggests a lucky clover or shamrock that’s dried or embedded in plastic.

Given the dawn of the Asian Century, risky imports from the north are also a big deal.

Last year biosecurity staff seized 270 mooncakes containing meat in the two months leading up to the Chinese and Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in September. They also found other gifts such as fresh fruit.

This year, the Agriculture wants to persuade people to opt for locally made mooncakes or chocolate ones if they come from overseas.

The sudden proliferation of packs of Australian children marauding the streets demanding sugary treats at Halloween could also be partially explained by Agriculture’s biosecurity advice on the Anglo-American fancy dress phenomenon.

“Halloween gifts can pose a biosecurity risk. Do not bring or send pumpkins [or] corn husk dolls,” Agriculture says, listing the alternatives as being chocolate and confectionery.

First Assistant Secretary Border Compliance Tim Chapman said religious and cultural festivals were a timely reminder that Australians should be across the country’s biosecurity laws before buying gifts overseas or asking relatives or friends to send them over.

“If you’re expecting gifts from overseas or buying them online you should be aware of what can and what can’t be brought into Australia,” Mr Chapman said.

“It is important family and friends sending gifts from overseas are aware of what can and can’t be brought in.

“Australia enjoys an enviable pest and disease-free status with significant economic, environmental and community benefits, and together we can keep it that way,” Mr Chapman said.

If biosecurity officers find people bringing in biosecurity risks into airports and not declaring them they are able to issue a $340 on-the-spot fine or prosecute. Prosecution can lead to fines of more than $66,000 and the risk of a ten-year jail sentence and a criminal record.