Importing Plant Products

Plant products fall into three major categories: human consumption, animal consumption and products not intended for consumption.

Intended for Human Consumption

Stored Plant Products intended for Human Consumption can be imported from all countries in accordance with the import health standard BNZ-NPP-HUMAN Importation into New Zealand of Stored Plant Products Intended for Human Consumption Link to PDF document (344 KB).

This import health standard covers a wide variety of plant products, including (but not limited to) the following examples:

  • Dried cereals, cereal products and seeds, legume seeds and products
  • Dried herbs, spices, roots and beverages
  • Frozen, cooked or preserved fruit and vegetables (including frozen seaweed)
  • Dried and frozen fungi (fresh fungi are included within the import health standard for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
  • Nuts, Oils, Plant extracts manufactured into capsules, pills and powders and Starters

Intended for Animal Consumption

Processed animal feeds of plant origin for pet food and stock feed can be imported from all countries in accordance with the import health standard BNZ-PAFP-IMPRT Importation into New Zealand of Processed Animal Feeds of Plant Origin.

Not Intended for Consumption

Import health standards for plant products not intended for consumption are currently under development. While import health standards are not currently in place, many plant products not intended for consumption can still be imported when biosecurity risks have been mitigated. Please contact the MAF BNZ Plant Imports team for import requirements.

Import Health Standards

These documents state the requirements for plant products approved in accordance with New Zealand MAF's obligations under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

Import Permit

Plant products being imported into a MAF approved transitional facility, either for further processing or as laboratory specimens will require a valid permit to import.

To apply for a permit, complete the appropriate Application for Permit to Import.

You also need to complete Stockfeed Questionaire, Appendix 2 to bnz-pafp-imprt.

The completed form should be returned to MAF BNZ 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

Transitional 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.

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Page last updated: 14 July 2009