Importing Nursery Stock

Nursery stock comprises whole plants, including tissue cultured plants (plants in-vitro), or parts of plants imported for growing purposes, e.g. cuttings, scions, budwood, marcots, off-shoots, root divisions, bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes.

Biosecurity Index

Only nursery stock for the plant species listed in the MAF Biosecurity New Zealand Plants Biosecurity Index (offsite link to www1.maf.govt.nz) will be considered for entry into New Zealand.

The Plants Biosecurity Index can be searched by the genus and/or species of the plants to be imported. The search will return the import specification of the species, which will direct you to the appropriate section of the nursery stock import health standard (see Entry Conditions).

Entry Conditions

All nursery stock must meet the Basic Conditions, as outlined in section 2.2.1 of the import health standard: 155.02.06 Importation of Nursery Stock.

Tissue cultures (plants in-vitro) must meet the Basic Conditions for Tissue Culture, as outlined in section 2.2.2 of the import health standard.

As indicated by the Plants Biosecurity Index, certain genera and species require Special Conditions that are additional to the Basic Conditions. These are outlined in the Schedule of Special Conditions in Section 3.4 of the import health standard.

What about plant species not on the Biosecurity Index?

To import new organisms (species), including genetically modified organisms, as defined in the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, an application must first be made to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA (offsite link to www.erma.govt.nz)) at the following address:

  • Manager, Operations
    Environmental Risk Management Authority
    PO Box 131
    Wellington
    NEW ZEALAND
    E-mail: info@ermanz.govt.nz

Important Note:

A new plant species approved by ERMA, or any species identified within the Plants Biosecurity Index (offsite link to www1.maf.govt.nz) as "Requires assessment" will require the completion of a plant health risk assessment and development of an import health standard to determine phytosanitary import requirements prior to entry.

Each year, MAF BNZ Plant Imports, receives many proposals and applications to import horticultural commodities. We advise that in order for these commodities to be permitted entry into New Zealand, it is necessary for MAF BNZ to undertake an import risk analysis for each commodity so as to develop appropriate phytosanitary measures, in the form of an import health standard. The outcome of such analyses will be the import requirements (schedule) for each commodity, that will list the requirements to be met before biosecurity clearance can be given, this may include a post entry quarantine period.

Import Health Standard

The phytosanitary requirements for all nursery stock approved for importation into New Zealand have been specified in the import health standard document 155.02.06: Importation of Nursery Stock Link to PDF document (933 KB).

This document states the requirements for nursery stock approved in accordance with New Zealand MAF's obligations under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

Post Entry Quarantine

All nursery stock is required to go into post entry quarantine on arrival into New Zealand, unless otherwise indicated in the Schedule of Special Conditions.

If post entry quarantine is required, you must determine prior to import the quarantine facility that you will use. See a listing of MAF registered post entry quarantine facilities.

Information about the requirements for setting up a quarantine facility can be obtained from PBC-NZ-TRA-PQCON: Specification for the Registration of a Plant Quarantine or Containment Facility, and Operator Link to PDF document (103 KB).

Tissue cultures are not required to go into post entry quarantine, unless the Schedule of Special Conditions lists this as a requirement.

Import Permit

All nursery stock must be imported under a valid permit to import, unless otherwise indicated in the Schedule of Special Conditions.

To apply for a permit, complete the form, Application for permit to import Nursery Stock.

The completed form should be returned to Plant Imports, where requirements will be checked before an import permit is issued. Allow 10 working days for processing.

  • Plant Imports Team
    Border Standards Directorate
    MAF Biosecurity New Zealand
    Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
    P.O. Box 2526
    Wellington
    NEW ZEALAND
  • Fax: +64 4 894 0662
    E-mail: plantimports@maf.govt.nz

NOTE: Tissue cultured plants in sterile media do not require a permit to import, unless otherwise indicated in the Schedule of Special Conditions.

High Value Crops

MAF Approved Off-Shore Quarantine Facilities

CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES (offsite link to www.cites.org)) regulates the international trade and movement of animals and plant species that have been, or may be, threatened due to excessive commercial exploitation. For more information on species covered under CITES, please refer to the CITES website.

In genereal, the importation of endangered species into New Zealand is regulated under this Convention and must be accompanied by a valid CITES export permit issued by the appropriate management authority in the country of export. The Departement of Conservation is responsible for managing CITES species in New Zealand, including providing information on how to obtain CITES permits.

High Profile Pests

Information on high profile pests of nursery stock can be found at the links below.

Steps for Importing Nursery Stock into New Zealand

Refer to the flowchart below which gives an overview of the import process for nursery stock:

Flowchart showing the steps to import Nursery Stock into New Zealand
MAF Plants Biosecurity Index Environmental Risk Management Authority Nursery Stock Import Health Standard Request development of an import health standard Transitional facilities Plant import forms

Page last updated: 26 August 2008