New rules simplify exports and cut costs.
The New Zealand Government has announced changes to the export exemptions system, making it easier for food exporters to access new markets. According to Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard, the move is a response to industry calls for a more efficient system that facilitates trade and innovation opportunities.
Currently, food produced in New Zealand for export must meet domestic standards, which can be costly and inefficient. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) handles individual applications for exemptions from these standards on a product-by-product basis. To address this issue, the Government will introduce a two-staged approach to changing the rules, allowing exporters to manage their own compliance with importing country requirements.
The first stage includes exemptions for labelling requirements across all food products and composition requirements for animal products produced under a Risk Management Programme. The dairy sector, New Zealand's largest export earner, is included in this stage, with total dairy export revenue forecast at $25.8 billion by June 2025. In the second stage, composition exemptions will be extended to other foods after changes are made to improve the export framework.
The new regulations are planned to come into effect in mid-2025 and will balance facilitating trade with managing food safety risks. Exporters will need to meet specified conditions and operate under a risk-based measure, which will be independently verified.