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Why do apples and pears have extra export requirements?

Apples and pears, collectively known as pipfruit, can be affected by pests and diseases. To stop the spread of pests and diseases, some overseas markets have extra phytosanitary (plant health) requirements.

These are on top of the steps you need to take to export any fresh fruit (covered in the importing countries phytosanitary requirements (ICPRs)).

What you need to do to export fresh fruit

Find the ICPR for your product

In most cases, the extra steps are part of an Official Assurance Programme (OAP). These are compulsory extra steps.

To export apples and pears to the United States of America (USA), you can choose to take part in a pre-clearance programme. Taking part in a pre-clearance programme can make it quicker for your product to be cleared when it arrives overseas.

Official Assurance Programmes

An OAP is an agreement between governments. It assures an overseas market that New Zealand exporters have met the market's phytosanitary (plant health) requirements.

We create OAP documents to let you know the:

  • overseas market's requirements
  • extra steps each party in the export chain needs to take.

Examples of extra steps are:

  • having a growing site inspected for pests or diseases
  • registering a growing site or storage facility.

The extra steps are over and above what you need to do for markets which don't have an OAP with New Zealand.

Guidance on OAP programmes [PDF, 199 KB]

What you need to do

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Pre-clearance programmes for USA

New Zealand has a pre-clearance programme with the USA for apples and pears.

Product inspections for pre-clearance programmes

If you take part in a pre-clearance programme, your export products are inspected before they leave New Zealand.

The inspections are done by officials representing your overseas market. This should mean your products are cleared faster when they arrive overseas.

Operational work plan

Download the operational work plan to find out what growers, packhouse and coolstore operators, and exporters need to do.

Operational Work Plan for Precleared Apples, European Pears, and Nashi/Sand Pears from New Zealand to the United States [PDF, 436 KB]

Check the pest list for updated information on which pests require action. The operational work plan explains how actionable pests should be dealt with.

Commodity pest list for USA pre-cleared pipfruit [PDF, 254 KB]

You may need to work with others in the export chain. Find MPI-approved service providers.

Approved exporters

Find out more about apples and pears

NZ Apples & Pears Inc

Browse the registers of approved growers, packhouses, exporters, and coolstores

Who to contact

If you have questions about exporting apples or pears:

MPI business units