Establishing phytosanitary requirements for export

If you plan to export plants or plant products, you must ensure your goods meet the plant health (phytosanitary) requirements of the destination country. Many markets require a phytosanitary certificate to confirm your products meet their plant health requirements and enable the products import.

Most export requirements can be identified through the Importing Country Phytosanitary Requirements (ICPRs). An import permit may be required in addition to, or instead of, the ICPR.

If you are unsure about the export requirements for your plant products, the IVA Technical team can help. We review requirements for fruit and vegetables, seeds, nursery stock, timber, minimally processed plant products, and other plant commodities. Our technical review clarifies unclear requirements and outlines any necessary steps—such as production site surveys, official testing, endpoint inspections, and product security measures. Reviews are provided for a fee, which depends on the quality and completeness of the information supplied. Note, it is the exporters responsibility to determine commodity specific requirements if these are not published – this is typically achieved by contacting the importing country’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) and sourcing official written requirements.

To request a technical review of export requirements for your plant products please submit a request here.

Process for Obtaining a Phytosanitary Certificate 

1. Confirm Importing Country Requirements

Check the latest ICPRs on the MPI website. An import permit or Letter of Authority may also be required.
Some phytosanitary requirements—such as production site surveys or official pest, seed, or plant health testing—must be completed before export. AsureQuality can assist with these activities and provide guidance on any official treatments that may be required.

2.Pest Freedom / Plant Health Production Site Surveys (if applicable)

Surveys are time sensitive and requests must allow time for AsureQuality to coordinate and complete the survey and any associated testing.

Typically, these surveys are completed during active growth with some commodity's survey time frames being specified in Official Assurance Programmes (OAPs) and / or in the ICPR under specified commodity additional declarations.

3. Arrange the appropriate inspection service

Most consignments require an onsite phytosanitary inspection. Once all pre-inspection requirements have been completed, download and complete the Hort & Seed inspection request form at the bottom of this article.

A desktop document inspection may be available for:

• Seed exporters that are not an MPI-Approved Organisation (MAO); or
• MAOs that are not approved to complete phytosanitary certification.

This option may be used where an inspecting MAO has already completed the required physical inspection and load-out, including inspection for freedom from live pests where applicable, and has maintained product security.

To request a desktop document inspection:

1. Tick Desktop document inspection on the request form.
2. Enter Desktop in the inspection location field.
3. Complete the inspecting-MAO and load-out details on page 2.
4. Attach all applicable supporting documents.
5. Email the completed form and attachments to inspection@asurequality.com.

4. What happens during the inspection or document review

Onsite phytosanitary inspection

The inspector will identify the individual lots and complete the inspection in accordance with AsureQuality’s MPI-approved procedures. Depending on the importing-country requirements, this may involve taking a random and representative sample or conducting a full inspection.

If the inspector finds a pest or disease of concern that cannot be identified, the affected lot will be placed on hold. The exporter will then need to decide whether to proceed with official pest identification, apply an approved treatment, or consider an alternative destination or use for the goods.

Desktop document inspection

For a desktop inspection, an AsureQuality inspector reviews the supporting documents against the applicable Importing Country Phytosanitary Requirements (ICPR) and any import permit.

Supporting documents may include:

• An inspection record, including evidence of freedom from live pests where applicable
• The MAO load-out record
• A packing list and consignment traceability information
• Official plant-health or seed-health test reports
• Survey test reports
• Laboratory analysis results
• Other evidence required by the ICPR or import permit
• The import permit and an endorsed English translation, if required
• A treatment certificate, if required

If the applicable requirements are met, AsureQuality will record the documented country clearance in an inspection report.

5. Maintain product security

Product security measures must prevent contamination, substitution or loss of traceability between inspection and export.

For an onsite AsureQuality inspection, common security approaches include:

• Sealed packaging: Product is securely packaged and closed with a uniquely numbered AsureQuality seal.
• Shrink-wrapped pallets: Pallets are wrapped and an AsureQuality seal is applied to the outer wrapping.
• Supervised container loading: An inspector supervises loading and applies or verifies the container seal.

For a desktop document inspection, product security remains the responsibility of the inspecting MAO that completed the physical inspection and load-out. The desktop review does not transfer product security to AsureQuality.

6. Completion of the inspection report

Following either an onsite inspection or a desktop document inspection, the inspector completes an electronic inspection report.

The report records the inspection outcome, relevant supporting evidence and any applicable additional declarations. It is required to support the phytosanitary certification request.

For a desktop document inspection, the completed report will be returned to the exporter after the supplied documentation has been reviewed and accepted.

7. Request the phytosanitary certificate

Once the inspection report has been completed, submit the trade certification request with the required supporting documents.

For a desktop document inspection, these will generally include:

• The AsureQuality inspection report
• The inspecting MAO’s load-out record
• The import permit, if required
• The treatment certificate, if required

Shipment or flight details must also be supplied before the certificate can be finalised.

AsureQuality can raise and print the phytosanitary certificate if requested. For all countries except Australia, which receives certificates electronically, the physical certificate can be couriered to you or collected from an AsureQuality office.

Plant Product Re-exports

AsureQuality can support you when re-exporting plant products. Process is as for standard (NZ origin) phytosanitary certification with the following considerations.

• The commodity must have been legally imported (we cannot assist if the goods are being held in a transitional facility).
• If the commodity was imported on an Overseas Phytosanitary Certificate (OPC), this must be provided and attached to any export certification request as supporting documentation.
• It is the exporter’s responsibility to determine the importing market requirements (for the country of destination) including requirements from New Zealand to the destination market; and, from the country of origin to the destination market. This information must be provided to the inspector and included as supporting information for phytosanitary certification requests.
• Only phytosanitary activities completed in New Zealand can be recorded on the re-export certificate unless specified in the official importing market requirements. As examples, production site clearance can only be given on the OPC. Treatments completed in the country of origin must be recorded on the OPC OR the treatment must be completed by an approved treatment provider here in NZ.
• Traceability to official treatments or assurances made on an OPC must be maintained. Any re-packaging / re-bagging must be completed under IVA supervision or as per an MPI approved organisation’s (MAO’s) approved procedures.

Plant Product Re‑exports

AsureQuality can support you with the re‑export of plant products. The process follows the same steps as standard (New Zealand–origin) phytosanitary certification, with the following additional considerations:

• The product must have been legally imported.
  We cannot assist with goods still held in a transitional facility.
• If the product was imported with an Overseas Phytosanitary Certificate (OPC), you must provide this certificate and submit it as supporting documentation with your inspection and export certification request. Some commodities, e.g. frozen berries, can be imported into New Zealand without an OPC.
• Exporters are responsible for determining all importing country requirements.
  This includes:
  • Requirements for exporting from New Zealand to the destination country, and
  • Requirements for exporting from the original country of origin to the destination country.

All relevant information must be provided to the inspector and included with the certification request.

• Only phytosanitary activities completed in New Zealand can be recorded on the re‑export certificate, unless the importing country’s official requirements specify otherwise.
  Examples of what must be on the OPC:
  • Production site clearance can only be confirmed on the OPC.
  • Treatments completed in the country of origin must appear on the OPC.

Examples of phytosanitary activities that can be recorded on a re-export certificate

• Product treatments carried out in New Zealand by an approved provider.
• Endpoint inspections clearing goods for pests of concern.
• Results of official tests complete in NZ
• Traceability to treatments or assurances on the OPC must be maintained.
  Any re-packaging / re‑bagging must occur under IVA supervision or in accordance with an MPI‑Approved Organisation’s (MAO’s) approved procedures.