Steps to exporting eggs

Comply with New Zealand legislation and food standards

You need to meet all relevant food standards and regulations. Legal requirements are set out in the:

• Animal Products Act 1999
• Food Act 2014
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

 Find links to legislation and the Code

Operating requirements

Your operating requirements vary depending on whether you are a primary or secondary processor, and whether your products need official assurances for export.

Primary processors

If you are a primary processor (who harvests, candles, grades, and packs whole-shell eggs) you must operate under a risk management programme (RMP) under the Animal Products Act 1999, regardless of whether your destination country needs an official assurance.

Find out more about risk management programmes for eggs

Secondary processors

If you are a secondary processor (who breaks eggs and makes egg products) you may operate under one of the following:

• a risk management programme (you must choose this option if you export to countries that require official assurances) – refer to Step 2, or
• a food control plan under the Food Act 2014 (only choose this option if you export to countries that do not require official assurances).

Find out more about food control plans

Exporting organic products

If you're exporting organic eggs or egg products, you need to know about the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP). This programme is designed to make it easier to export organic products to specific countries.

Find out more about exporting organic products and the OOAP

Storage and transport requirements

Make sure other operators in your supply chain, like transport companies, wharf operators, and storage providers are meeting their requirements.

Find out more about other export clearance requirements

Legislation and standards

• Animal Products Act 1999 – NZ Legislation
• Food Act 2014 – NZ Legislation
• Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Food Standards

Find out the market access requirements

As an exporter, you're responsible for knowing and meeting the Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR) for your destination country. OMARs differ between countries and products and set out requirements for all operators in your export chain – for example, processors, storage providers, and transporters.

You need to apply to MPI to read animal product OMARs because they're password-protected.

Apply for a password to access OMARs

Search for your OMAR

When you have your password, you'll be able to read the OMARs for your products.

Find requirements by searching for your destination market OMAR

Check all the requirements in the OMAR

Read the OMAR for your destination market thoroughly to make sure you can comply with all the requirements.

If your export destination has an OMAR you'll likely need an 'official assurance', also known as an export certificate. You'll need this before you can send your product. Official assurance is the New Zealand Government's assurance to the destination market that your product meets the standards set out in the OMAR.

Read more about OMARs

Other information you should check

Besides the OMAR, there may be other documents that have information about your market.

Guidance offered by FYIs can help you with exporting concerns or issues. You may need your OMAR password to read some FYIs.

OMAR notifications will give you the latest updates for your destination market.

• 'For Your Information'(FYI) documents
• OMAR notifications

Exporting to a market with no OMAR

If there is no OMAR for your export destination, work directly with your importing agent to find out about certification and any other requirements. If an import permit is required, the permit will outline the requirements.

Note that if there is no OMAR, it could mean your product is prohibited from being sent to that country.

Some destinations that don't need official assurances may instead require a free sales certificate (FSC), or a free sales statement (FSS).

Find out more about FSCs and FSSs

Find out if your premises need to be approved

Some countries require premises to be approved, or 'listed', before you can export your products. 'Listing' is a procedure agreed between governments for ensuring that a country's market access requirements are met and products are produced in premises approved to export to that country. Your OMAR will tell you if you need to be listed, and the process to follow.

Are you using wood packaging?

If you use wood packaging products – other than paper – for your export product, check your wood packaging meets the phytosanitary requirements of the destination country. Most countries require you to treat your wood packaging to make sure it's free of pests and diseases.

Find out the export requirements when using wood packaging

How to register

You can do this online.

AP1 exporter registration – online form

Notes about registering

• You'll need to pay a registration fee each year.
• If you don't register with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), you can contact an already registered exporter and ask them if they will export on your behalf.

Questions?

If you have questions about registering as an exporter, email approvals@mpi.govt.nz

Our list of registered exporters

When your application has been processed and approved by MPI, you will be added to our list of registered exporters. This list is available to the public.

Register of animal products exporters

If you're exporting organic eggs or products

If you want to export organic eggs or egg products under the Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP), you must be registered as both an organics exporter and an animal products exporter. You need to register as an animal products exporter first.

OP1 organic exporter registration - online form

Who to contact

If you have questions about registering as an exporter, email exporterhelp@mpi.govt.nz

About E-cert

Animal Products E-cert is what we use to issue official government assurances for animal products, including eggs, that are exported from New Zealand.

At each step of the production process, operators need to add information to E-cert. At the end of the process, the exporter uses E-cert to apply for an export certificate (an official assurance as provided for in the Animal Products Act).

It is mandatory to use E-cert for some markets and strongly recommended for a number of others.

E-cert is password-protected and new exporters and operators need to apply for access.

Find out more about E-cert

How to register

To use E-cert, your company must be one of the following:

• a registered exporter under the Animal Products Act 1999
• a business with a registered Risk Management Programme
• an export-approved premise
• acting as an agent for another company that is registered as one of the above.

You need to get company access first, then add access for individuals.

Getting access to E-cert

Using E-cert

If the destination market for your eggs or egg products requires an export certificate (or official assurance), you need to apply for it through E-cert. You have to register to access E-cert. We explain how to register for E-cert in the previous step.

Log in

When you're registered, you can log in and use the system.

E-cert login

The information and declarations you, or the operators you work with, have entered about the production of your egg products confirm that they comply with requirements.

Training and help using AP E-cert

Guidance resources to help you understand the exporting process, certification, and how to use AP E-cert.

Learn how to use AP E-cert

AP E-cert demonstration

Walk-through a demo to learn how to raise an export certificate in AP E-cert.

Walk-through demo of AP E-cert

Request approval of your certificate

Once the export certificate application has been raised in E-cert, email your nearest MPI signing office to arrange approval of the export certificate.

Find contact details for MPI signing offices

Getting your export certificate

When MPI is satisfied that your egg products comply with all requirements and standards, we issue the official assurance (export certificate) through E-cert.

The official assurance can be provided for your consignment in various ways. Check the OMAR of your destination country and the Official Assurances Specification to work out what you need.

Read the Animal Products Notice: Official Assurance Requirements [PDF, 401 KB]