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 an Onsite Inspection

Once all pre‑inspection requirements are met, an onsite inspection will be carried out. The inspector may take samples to check for pests of quarantine concern (such as insects, diseases, fungi, weed seeds).
You must provide all supporting documents at this time, including import permits, official test results, production site certificates, and treatment certificates. Supporting documents must be from official sources with appropriate approvals. If treatment, e.g. whole container fumigation, is occurring after the inspection we have processes in place to manage this.

4. Onsite inspection

Once onsite, the inspector will identify the individual lots and carry out the inspection in line with AsureQuality’s MPI‑approved procedures. Depending on the requirements, this may involve taking a random and representative sample or conducting a full (100%) inspection.

If the inspector finds any pests or diseases of concern that they cannot identify, the lot will be placed on hold. The exporter must then decide if they wish to proceed with official pest identification or consider alternative options for the goods (e.g., applying a treatment or diverting the product to the domestic market).

5. Implement Product Security

After the product passes inspection, Product Security measures must be applied to prevent contamination or substitution before export. If an MPI‑Approved Organisation cannot maintain product security, AsureQuality will do so. Common approaches include:

• Sealed packaging: Product is securely packaged and closed with an AsureQuality paper seal carrying a unique ID number.
• Shrink‑wrapped pallets: Pallets are wrapped, and an AsureQuality seal is placed on the outer wrapping.
• Supervised container loading: An inspector supervises loading and applies or verifies a container seal (e.g., bolt or Tyden seal).

6. Completion of Inspection Report

The inspector completes an electronic inspection report. This report is required to support  phytosanitary certification of the product. An inspection report will include any additional declarations e.g. documented review of supporting documentation, e.g.

7. Issuing the Phytosanitary Certificate

Once shipment or flight details are provided, an AsureQuality inspector or team member can raise the phytosanitary certificate.
Certificates can often be issued on the day of inspection for urgent shipments, or within 1–2 days depending on availability.

For all countries except Australia (which receives certificates electronically), AsureQuality can courier the physical certificate to you, or you may collect it 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.