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Draft import health standards for importing plant germplasm for propagation

Update – 17 July 2023

Amended IHS documents and review of submissions released

Following the consultation, Biosecurity New Zealand have issued amendments to the following import health standards:

The amendments follow consultation to remove the requirement for plant testing by biological indexing, and replacing it with serological or molecular testing where appropriate. This was supported by those involved in the consultation. There are also several other minor amendments which have been made to clarify requirements and guidance in the import health standards.

List of amendments

  • removed the requirements for 28 pests from specific pathways on the standards above.
  • removed the option and requirement of testing by biological indexing in post-entry quarantine. This test has been replaced by PCR or ELISA testing in post-entry quarantine.
  • replaced the requirement for all seed importers to provide a pelleted seed declaration. Now only those importing pelleted seeds will need to make a declaration. This requirement is now in clause 1.9(2) of the seed standard.
  • amended the Phaseolus and Pisum seed pathways to allow testing on arrival (rather than only before export).
  • amended the entries for raspberry ringspot virus to only apply to strains not in New Zealand.
  • amended the entries for grapevine fanleaf virus to apply to the entire species rather than strains not in New Zealand (because there are no strains known to be in New Zealand).
  • clarified the wording for treatment of non-dormant cuttings and whole plants of Dracaena.
  • amended and updated some formatting and grammar.

Review of submissions [PDF, 2.2 MB]

Consultation background

From 14 April to 12 May 2023 the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) sought comments on proposed changes to the import health standards:

  • Actinidia Plants for Planting
  • Citrus Plants for Planting
  • Importation of Nursery Stock
  • Prunus Plants for Planting
  • Seeds for Sowing.

Full details of the proposed changes are in the consultation document.

Consultation document

Risk management proposal – biological indexing [PDF, 573 KB]

Legal background

MPI must consult with interested parties in accordance with section 23 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) and MPI's consultation policy before issuing or amending (other than of minor or urgent nature) import health standards (IHS) under sections 24A and 24B of the Act.

An IHS specifies import requirements that must be met either in the country of origin or of export, or during transit, before biosecurity clearance can be given for the goods to enter New Zealand. MPI must ensure that these requirements are technically justified and provide an appropriate level of biosecurity protection.

Find out more

Steps to importing nursery stock

Steps to importing seeds for sowing

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

MPI business units