Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said the government has delivered on its commitment to cutting red tape and increasing the value of exports.
This has made it easier for exporters to deliver safe New Zealand food to more markets.
“Food exports are the bedrock of our economy, so when industry asked for a more efficient export exemptions system that facilitates trade and product innovation opportunities, we listened,” said Hoggard.
“We consulted on options for providing export exemptions mid-year, and I am pleased to announce that we will be progressing a new pathway to exempt food products for export from domestic composition and labelling requirements.”
Currently, food produced in New Zealand for export must meet domestic food standard requirements for composition and labelling.
Where these requirements differ from 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 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.”
Considering consultation feedback, Hoggard has decided to take a two-staged approach to changing the rules. This will enable 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 for all food products, including dietary supplements, for export and composition requirements for animal products for export 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 NZD 25.8 billion for the year ending the 30th of June 2025.”
In the second stage, the composition exemption will be extended to include other foods after required changes have been 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 will balance 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 will come into effect in mid-2025.
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