The process for exporting eggs and egg products
The requirements on this page are for eggs and egg products. Export requirements vary for egg products, depending on your destination market. We’ve created a step-by-step process so you can see what’s involved.
Comply with New Zealand legislation and food standards
You need to meet all relevant food standards and regulations. Legal requirements are set out in the:
- Animal Products Act 1999
- Food Act 2014
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
Find links to legislation and the Code
Exemptions from composition and labelling rules
There are two exemption options that allow certain products to follow the importing country’s composition and labelling requirements, instead of New Zealand’s. See if they apply to your product.
Find out about exempting food exports from New Zealand requirements
Operating requirements
Your operating requirements vary depending on whether you are a primary or secondary processor, and whether your products need official assurances for export.
Primary processors
If you are a primary processor (who harvests, candles, grades, and packs whole-shell eggs) you must operate under a risk management programme (RMP) under the Animal Products Act 1999, regardless of whether your destination country needs an official assurance.
Find out more about risk management programmes for eggs
Secondary processors
If you are a secondary processor (who breaks eggs and makes egg products) you may operate under one of the following:
- a risk management programme (you must choose this option if you export to countries that require official assurances) – refer to Step 2, or
- a food control plan under the Food Act 2014 (only choose this option if you export to countries that do not require official assurances).
Find out more about food control plans
Exporting organic products
If you're exporting organic eggs or egg products, you need to know about the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP). This programme is designed to make it easier to export organic products to specific countries.
Find out more about exporting organic products and the OOAP
Storage and transport requirements
Make sure other operators in your supply chain, like transport companies, wharf operators, and storage providers are meeting their requirements.
Find out more about other export clearance requirements
Legislation and standards
- Animal Products Act 1999 – NZ Legislation
- Food Act 2014 – NZ Legislation
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Food Standards
Find out the market access requirements
As an exporter, you're responsible for knowing and meeting the Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR) for your destination country. OMARs differ between countries and products and set out requirements for all operators in your export chain – for example, processors, storage providers, and transporters.
You need to apply to MPI to read animal product OMARs because they're password-protected.
Apply for a password to access OMARs
Search for your OMAR
When you have your password, you'll be able to read the OMARs for your products.
Find requirements by searching for your destination market OMAR
Check all the requirements in the OMAR
Read the OMAR for your destination market thoroughly to make sure you can comply with all the requirements.
If your export destination has an OMAR you'll likely need an 'official assurance', also known as an export certificate. You'll need this before you can send your product. Official assurance is the New Zealand Government's assurance to the destination market that your product meets the standards set out in the OMAR.
Other information you should check
Besides the OMAR, there may be other documents that have information about your market.
Guidance offered by FYIs can help you with exporting concerns or issues. You may need your OMAR password to read some FYIs.
OMAR notifications will give you the latest updates for your destination market.
Exporting to a market with no OMAR
If there is no OMAR for your export destination, work directly with your importing agent to find out about certification and any other requirements. If an import permit is required, the permit will outline the requirements.
Note that if there is no OMAR, it could mean your product is prohibited from being sent to that country.
Some destinations that don't need official assurances may instead require a free sales certificate (FSC), or a free sales statement (FSS).
Find out more about FSCs and FSSs
Find out if your premises need to be approved
Some countries require premises to be approved, or 'listed', before you can export your products. 'Listing' is a procedure agreed between governments for ensuring that a country's market access requirements are met and products are produced in premises approved to export to that country. Your OMAR will tell you if you need to be listed, and the process to follow.
Are you using wood packaging?
If you use wood packaging products – other than paper – for your export product, check your wood packaging meets the phytosanitary requirements of the destination country. Most countries require you to treat your wood packaging to make sure it's free of pests and diseases.
How to register
You can do this online.
AP1 exporter registration – online form
Notes about registering
- You'll need to pay a registration fee each year.
- If you don't register with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), you can contact an already registered exporter and ask them if they will export on your behalf.
Once you've registered as an exporter, you can find an overview of your next steps in our information pack.
Animal products exporter information pack [PDF, 524 KB]
Our list of registered exporters
When your application has been processed and approved by MPI, you will be added to our list of registered exporters. This list is available to the public.
Register of animal products exporters
If you're exporting organic eggs or products
If you want to export organic eggs or egg products under the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP), you must be registered as both an organics exporter and an animal products exporter. You need to register as an animal products exporter first.
OP1 organic exporter registration - online form
Who to contact
If you have questions about registering as an exporter, email exporterhelp@mpi.govt.nz
About MPI Trade Certification
MPI Trade Certification is the online system MPI uses to issue official government assurances under the Animal Products Act. We issue the official assurance as an export certificate. MPI Trade Certification replaces the previous AP E-cert system.
At each step of the production process, operators need to add information to MPI Trade Certification. At the end of the process, the exporter uses MPI Trade Certification to apply for the export certificate.
You need to use MPI Trade Certification if:
- your destination market requires an export certificate, or
- product traceability is required for export.
MPI Trade Certification is accessed through the MyMPI portal.
New exporters and operators need to register their business for MPI Trade Certification.
Who can register
To use MPI Trade Certification, your company must be either:
- a registered exporter under the Animal Products Act 1999
- a business with a registered risk management programme (RMP) or regulated control scheme (RCS)
- an export-approved premises (EAP), or
- an agent acting for another company that is registered as one of the above.
Once your business is registered for MPI Trade Certification, individual staff members can request access through MyMPI.
Using MPI Trade Certification
If your destination market requires an export certificate, you need to apply for it through MPI Trade Certification. We explain how to register for MPI Trade Certification in the previous step.
Find out more about MPI Trade Certification
You access MPI Trade Certification through MyMPI.
Request approval of your certificate
After requesting an export certificate in MPI Trade Certification, you need to email or phone an MPI certification team. Let them know that you have requested an export certificate, and they will confirm whether there’s anything else you need to do.
Find contact details for MPI signing offices
Getting your export certificate
When MPI is satisfied that your products comply with all requirements and standards, we issue the export certificate through MPI Trade Certification.
Some markets may require the export certificate to be printed by MPI on security paper.
For more information, see the OMAR and the Official Assurance Requirements Notice.
Animal Products Notice: Official Assurance Requirements [PDF, 569 KB]