What our fees cover
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) calculates fees on a cost-recovery basis.
Activities and services we charge for include:
- import permits
- border clearance inspections
- laboratory costs.
Not all the fees on this page may apply to you and there could be other charges not listed here, like transport, storage, or treatment costs.
Import permit
All imports of fungi for growing need a permit before they can be imported into New Zealand. The import health standard (IHS) will tell you if a permit is needed.
| Fee type | Fee (excl GST) | Fee (incl GST) |
|---|---|---|
|
Application for permit to import truffles for consumption or propagation, or Application for permit to import biological products, microorganisms and cell cultures |
$191.95* | $220.47* |
| *If processing your application takes longer than one-and-a-half hours, additional time will be charged at an hourly rate of $102.27 excluding GST or $117.61 including GST. | ||
Border clearance charges
MPI may charge you for costs related to inspecting your fungi for growing when they arrive in New Zealand.
You may be charged extra fees if MPI's biosecurity inspector has to:
- travel to inspect your goods
- wait before inspection can start
- be called out after hours.
Charges for MPI inspectors, including travel charges
| Fee type | Fee (excl GST) | Fee (incl GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Biosecurity inspector – hourly rate* | $102.27 | $117.61 |
| Travel charges for MPI inspectors | ||
| Travel within zone 1 – up to 4 km from base | $34.86 | $40.09 |
| Travel within zone 2 – over 4 km and up to 10 km from base | $70.75 | $81.36 |
| Travel within zone 3 – over 10 km and up to 25 km from base | $109.24 | $125.63 |
| Travel within zone 4 – over 25 km and up to 50 km from base | $149.19 | $171.57 |
| Travel more than 50 km from base | Hourly rates, plus a mileage charge of $0.67 a kilometre. Other travel-related costs may also apply. | Hourly rates, plus a mileage charge of $0.7705 a kilometre. Other travel-related costs may also apply. |
| *Hourly rate charges also apply to waiting times. | ||
Testing and treatment costs
You'll need to pay costs associated with:
- identifying or treating any pests found on your fungi
- identification testing of all Tuber sp. and Pleurotus sp.
Testing and/or treatment can be done at either MPI's Plant Health and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) or an MPI-approved facility. Tuber sp. and Pleurotus sp. identification must be done at the PHEL laboratory in Auckland.
- Facilities for diagnostic and pre-determined testing [PDF, 220 KB]
- Download MPI's Plant Health and Environment Laboratory costs [PDF, 339 KB]
Find out more
Who to contact
If you have questions about MPI's fees and charges, email info@mpi.govt.nz.
