Fecha de publicación: 10/12/2024 Fuente: Food Processing The New Zealand Government is planning to make it easier for food exporters to deliver safe New Zealand food to more markets with a two-staged approach.

Currently, food produced in New Zealand for export must meet domestic food standard requirements for composition and labelling. Where these requirements differ to those of the importing country, exporters must apply to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to be exempt from New Zealand’s composition and labelling requirements on a product-by-product basis.

“This is costly and inefficient — for both exporters and MPI — and can result in lost commercial opportunities, particularly for the dairy sector. It is also out of step with our international trading partners, who do not require individual export exemptions to be applied for,” said NZ Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard.

After consulting with industry and listening to feedback, Hoggard has decided to take a two-staged approach to changing the rules, “enabling food exporters to own and manage the process for meeting importing country requirements without the need to apply to MPI”.

In the first stage, exemptions will be provided for:


labelling requirements across all food products, including dietary supplements, for export; and
composition requirements for animal products for export that are produced under a Risk Management Programme.


“Ensuring swift action for New Zealand’s largest export earner, this stage includes the dairy sector, which is the biggest user of the current exemption process and has total dairy export revenue forecast at $25.8 billion for the year ending 30 June 2025,” Hoggard said.

In the second stage, the composition exemption will be extended to include other foods, after required changes are made to improve the export framework for foods produced under the Food Act.

“In the meantime, exporters of these foods can continue to use the existing process for case-by-case exemptions.

“This staged approach balances facilitating trade with managing food safety and suitability risks. Exporters will need to meet any conditions specified in regulations. This will be independently verified, and businesses will need to operate under a risk-based measure.”

The new regulations are planned to come into effect in mid-2025.

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