Plant Imports and Exports

Group
Stakeholder Newsletter

April 2015

This newsletter provides a monthly update of the groups

activities to stakeholders, to keep you all better informed
about key work undertaken by the group and initiatives in the
pipeline.
You can find all newsletter back issues by searching the MPI
website: News & Resources > Publications and then filtering by
title: Plants Imports and document type: Newsletter

PIE Group Updates

Benedicte Lebas has joined the Plant Imports and Exports
Group on secondment for 10 months until January 2016 as a
senior adviser in Plant and Forestry Team.
Benedicte has extensive experience with plant viruses and
testing for plant pathogens and comes from MPI Plant Health
Environment Laboratory as a senior scientist in the Virology and
PEQ Team.

and MPI have in the process of getting new species added to

the index.

Benedicte will be working primarily on nursery stock imports

contributing to the review of import health standards for plant
germplasm.

The nursery industry are interested in sourcing ornamental

plants from new offshore facilities and MPI encouraged the
industry to identify their preferred exporters and facilities to
assist MPI to resource the programme.

Previous Meetings

Site visits were made to plant entry quarantine facilities, large

scale ornamental nurseries and importer/exporter growers.

Nursery and Garden Industry New Zealand

Advisers from the Plant and Forestry team travelled to Waikato
in February to meet with representatives of Nursery and Garden
Industry New Zealand (NGINZ) and Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). This trip provided a forum to discuss plant
import and export issues.
The meeting provided an opportunity for MPI to discuss the
purpose of the Plants Biosecurity Index and the roles that EPA

Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus

A stakeholder meeting was held on 17 March at Pastoral House
to discuss the recent amendment to the Seed for Sowing import
health standard for cucurbit seeds.
Both MPI and stakeholders found the meeting productive.
Stakeholders were positive about the risk management proposal
and the rapid response from MPI to the emerging risk.
Compliance costs were the main concern from stakeholders.

April 2015

Feedback from the meeting will be considered for final drafts

of the import health standard, expected to be released for
consultation in May 2015.

Outcomes of the audits showed

that both Malaysia and Indonesia
have very good systems in
place to ensure PKE cannot be
contaminated and that exports
to New Zealand are free from
harmful pests and diseases.

GERMAC
MPI and Germplasm Advisory Committee (GERMAC) met
on 19 March at MPI Pastoral House. Items for discussion
included: the report on Barriers to Importing Plant Germplasm,
concerns with importing plants from MPI accredited
offshore facilities and the Post-Entry Quarantine Facility
Standard review. For more information on GERMAC please
see the MPI website: http://mpi.govt.nz/importing/overview/
access-and-trade-into-new-zealand/germac/

Phytosanitary certification and

inspection processes conducted
by Malaysias Department of
Agriculture and Indonesias
Ministry of Agriculture fully met
New Zealands requirements.

Upcoming Consultations

Upcoming Meetings

The following is a guide of the standards currently under

review and expected to be out for consultation over the next
few months.
Document
IHS Soil, Rock, Gravel, Sand, Water (new
format)
IHS Fertilisers & Growing Media (new
format)
IHS Seed for Sowing (new format) + GMO
Testing protocol
IHS Grains/ Seeds for Consumption, Feed &
Processing (new format)
Post-Entry Quarantine for Plants standard

PMAC
Banana from China IHS Submissions

1 April
8 April

Expected date
April 2015

Biosecurity Cost Recovery Regulation

changes

April 2015

New biosecurity cost recovery charges are in front of cabinet

and likely to be signed out over the next few weeks. If Cabinet
follow the recommendations, fees increases will apply across a
range of inspection and clearance activities, from 1 July 2015.

April 2015
April 2015

Application fees for permits to import are expected to increase

to $191.95 (ex GST). Biosecurity advisers will be able to
cost-recover their time at an hourly rate of $102.27 per hour
following an initial 15 minutes, for advice.

April 2015

Pathway Assurance & Audit

For more information, please visit the website:

Cost Recovery Regimes for Biosecurity and Food Safety.

MPI adviser visited Malaysia and Indonesia to review facility

systems for the audit and approval of PKE facilities for export
to New Zealand.
Audits were conducted at 12 PKE manufacturing facilities in
Malaysia and 8 facilities in Indonesia.