What species to include in a new import health standard for mushroom spawn for propagation

This table shows how many import permits MPI issued for each mushroom. Shitake is the most popular. Oyster, enoki, and button mushrooms are also popular. The rest are rarely imported.

This table shows the numbers of import permits issued for all approved mushrooms over the past 10 years.

These are some highlights of this period, which give more detail about current  mushroom spawn imports:

• The highest numbers of import permits were issued in 2020 and 2021, due to  higher numbers of permits for oyster mushroom spawn (both pearl oyster and phoenix oyster)
• The number of permits issued for pink oyster has been steady at a much lower level since 2015.
• Permits issued for button mushroom have fallen slightly over the past 5 years.
• Permits issued for enoki and shitake have tended to increase.
• There was some interest in wood ear mushrooms from 2014 to 2019.
• There hasn’t been a clear trend in import permit issuance for spawn of other mushroom species.

The number of permits issued for pearl oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) relates to strong demand for spawn of this mushroom since 2019. This was when the Environmental Protection Authority determined that this mushroom species was present in New Zealand before 29 July 1998 (a legal cut-off date for the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act). However, MPI did genetic tests on recently imported oyster mushroom spawn and found it did not match the genetic identity of older mushroom specimens used to prove that Pleurotus ostreatus is not a ‘new organism’ in New Zealand. To date, this has prevented importation of this spawn.

The reason for this situation is that modern fungal taxonomists have concluded the name Pleurotus ostreatus should be used in a different way than when traditional visual and reproductive characteristics are used to identify mushrooms. This use of the name Pleurotus ostreatus does not include commercial strains of this mushroom. The commercial strains are related to those known to be present in New Zealand, but they belong to the wider ‘Pleurotus ostreatus species complex’. 

MPI plans to include the following mushrooms in the new import health standard. One mushroom species would be added to the current list.

 See the current list in Step 2: What to do – Steps to importing fungi for growing  

This list is not final, and we want to hear your thoughts on it. 

Mushroom growers have asked us about several species that are not on this list. We’ve left them off because we need to do more analysis before we can include them. These species are:  

• Agaricus arvensis (horse mushroom) and Agaricus campestris (field mushroom): These mushrooms are already in the country and are likely not new to New Zealand. 
• Lepista nuda (wood blewit): This mushroom is already in Aotearoa and is likely not new to New Zealand. However, this species is currently regulated and is an unwanted organism. It appears in the Official Pest Register of New Zealand under its old name Tricholoma nudum  
• Pholiota microspora (syn. Pholiota nameko, nameko mushroom): This mushroom was probably in New Zealand before 1998 and is likely not new to New Zealand. 

We want to hear your feedback about whether these species should be eligible for import. 

We would also like specific feedback on whether to consider Pleurotus djamor and Pleurotus ostreatus as restrictive or inclusive species names. We need to decide whether to include strains within the wider Pleurotus ostreatus species complex in the import health standard, or just a narrower set of strains. We need to make the same decision about mushrooms in the Pleurotus djamor species complex. You can provide feedback by completing our oyster mushroom survey.

Options for how MPI uses the names for oyster mushrooms – SurveyMonkey

MPI plans to exclude the following mushrooms from the new import health standard. This list is not final, and we want to hear your thoughts on it. 

MPI is aware of interest from the mushroom industry in imports of species in this list. MPI has excluded these species from eligibility mainly because they are not present in New Zealand and likely would be considered to be ‘new to New Zealand organisms’, as defined by the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO Act).

Examples of such species include: 

• Cyclocybe cylindracea (synonyms include: Agrocybe cylindracea, Cyclocybe aegerita, Agaricus aegeritus and Pholiota aegerita), 
• Hypsizygus marmoreus (syn. H. tessulatus), 
• Pleurotus citrinopileatus, and 
• Pleurotus eryngii. 

Species that are not present in New Zealand would need an HSNO Act approval from EPA for release of the organism before MPI could consider their inclusion in the list.

 Find out about import risk analysis

Yes, we have been issuing permits for eligible species of mushroom spawns for propagation. To see the current list of eligible species, refer to step 2 on Steps to importing fungi for growing

The specific steps for importing mushroom spawn/cultures for cultivation in New Zealand are covered on the page Steps to importing fungi for growing

In summary, 

• You need to submit a completed import permit application to plantimports@mpi.govt.nz
  Permit application form [DOCX, 108 KB]
• The process for import permit application for mushroom spawn is described on the MPI website under  Step 2 – What you need to do
• You will need to submit a completed questionnaire along with your permit application.  The questionnaire [DOCX, 197 KB]

The list of Fungi and mushroom spawn species provisionally approved for import can be viewed under Step 2 – What you need to do 

We acknowledge that the information is not readily available and that is because we currently don’t have an import health standard specific to importing mushroom spawn. That is one of the reasons why we are developing this new standard which will be fit for purpose.  

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) decides whether organisms are new. To find out whether an organism is new, or to seek approval to import a new organism, first contact the EPA.

New organisms – EPA  

Unauthorised possession and cultivation of these mushrooms is prohibited because they contain a controlled drug. Importation for propagation of live material of these mushrooms would need additional approval from the Ministry of Health.  

The regulatory status can be found by searching the Official NZ Pest Register