Proposed changes to the import health standards for Prunus and nursery stock

About this closed consultation

From 1 November to 19 November 2021, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invited comment on proposed changes to the:  

• Prunus Plants for Planting Import Health Standard (IHS) 
• Importation of Nursery Stock IHS

The changes were to:

• extend the transitional period as noted in Section 1.7 of the Prunus Plants for Planting IHS by 3 years (23 January 2022 to 23 January 2025)
• remove Malus as a host of the quarantine pest Phytophthora ramorum as noted in Section 2.2.1.11 of the importation of nursery stock IHS.

Full details of the proposed changes were in the consultation documents. 

Consultation documents 

Risk Management Proposal: Amendments to the import health standards Importation of Nursery Stock (155.02.06) and Prunus Plants for Planting (MPI.IHS.PRUNUS.PFP) [PDF, 822 KB]

Draft Nursery Stock IHS [PDF, 5.9 MB] 

Draft Prunus Plants for Planting IHS [PDF, 619 KB] 

Submissions are public information 

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation 

Legal background  

MPI must consult with interested parties in accordance with section 23 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) and MPI's consultation policy before issuing or amending (other than of minor or urgent nature) import health standards (IHS) under sections 24A and 24B of the Act. 

An IHS specifies import requirements that must be met either in the country of origin or of export, or during transit, before biosecurity clearance can be given for the goods to enter New Zealand. MPI must ensure that these requirements are technically justified and provide an appropriate level of biosecurity protection.