Source: Ministry for Primary Industries
Have your say
From 10 May 2023 to 31 May 2023, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is seeking feedback on:
- adding new phytosanitary measures for fresh produce from Australia
- extending existing market access for pumpkin from Australia to include butternut and squash.
The proposed changes to the import requirements affect these import health standards:
- 152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand
- Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Avocado, Persea americana from Australia
- Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Capsicum (Capsicum annuum) from Australia
- Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Cucumber, Cucumis sativus from Australia
- Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus from Australia.
Summary of proposed changes
The changes affect only fresh fruit and vegetables from Australia and involve:
- changing the pests and measures on capsicums
- removing the fruit flies Bactrocera frauenfeldi, B. kraussi and B. musae from the pest list
- adding low-dose methyl bromide fumigation as a treatment option, replacing the existing high-dose treatment
- adding low-dose methyl bromide fumigation as a treatment option on capsicum, replacing the existing high-dose treatment
- extending market access for pumpkin to include butternut and squash
- adding “winter window plus in-field controls” as a measure for fruit flies on pumpkin, butternut, and squash
- adding irradiation as a treatment option on avocado, cucumber, pear, watermelon, pumpkin, butternut, and squash.
Full details of the proposed changes are in the consultation documents.
Consultation documents
Risk management proposal: Amendments to the import requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables from Australia [PDF, 509 KB]
Draft IHS 152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand [PDF, 5.2 MB]
Draft IHS: Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Avocado, Persea americana from Australia [PDF, 259 KB]
Draft IHS: Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Capsicum (Capsicum annuum) from Australia [PDF, 394 KB]
Draft IHS: Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Cucumber, Cucumis sativus from Australia [PDF, 346 KB]
Draft IHS: Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus from Australia [PDF, 338 KB]
Related document
Import Risk Assessment: Fresh fruit of Cucurbita maxima, C. pepo and C. moschata from Australia [PDF, 668 KB]
Making your submission
Email your feedback on the draft standards by 5pm on 31 May 2023 to plantimports@mpi.govt.nz
Make sure you include in your submission:
- the title of the consultation document in the subject line of your email (Amendments to import requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables from Australia)
- your name and title (if applicable)
- your organisation’s name (if you’re submitting on behalf of an organisation)
- your contact details (for example, phone number, address, and email).
While we prefer email, you can send your submission by post to:
Horticulture Imports Team
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.
All submissions received by the closing date will be considered before the amended import health standards are issued. MPI may hold late submissions on file for consideration when the issued standards are next revised or reviewed.
Next steps
After we have considered all submissions, there is a 10-day period which provides submitters with the opportunity to examine any changes to the import health standards which have resulted from consultation. An independent review (under section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993) may be requested in this period if a submitter considers scientific evidence they raised during their submission has not received sufficient consideration. If there is no review, the standards become final after 10 days.
