Ornamental Plant Import Pathways

Posted 14 October 2015

We’ve begun discussions with MPI on the processes for developing import health standards and the associated biosecurity risk analysis. 

Species cannot be imported until these are complete and for many ornamental species they either do not exist or are outdated.  These species then compete with “high value” food crops for MPI resource, and by the very nature of the export values associated with the latter, ornamentals struggle to get a look in. 

It is clear that a combination of collective industry action, the aggregation of needs, industry prioritisation among species and a focus on lower risk pathways (example tissue culture) will boost the resource case for ornamentals.  

If you depend upon access to new and imported ornamental species please contact John Liddle - john@nginz.co.nz.

MPI Survey to better understand the nursery stock import pathway

As the discovery of greater numbers of pests and pathogens worldwide has resulted in the tightening of biosecurity rules, the trade of ornamental plants into New Zealand has become increasingly more difficult. MPI in recent years has focussed import health standard reviews on high-value horticultural crops and industries.

And it's time to make a change. NZPPI and the Plant Germplasm Imports team at MPI are looking at:

• Options for creating new pathways for nursery stock imports into New Zealand, and
• Work with importers to identify lower cost pathways for nursery stock imports.

Frist up, there's a survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HYC7HP2) to identify the most frequently imported ornamental genera/species and the preferred import pathways. If you're an importer of ornamental plants, you're invited to take part by 28 October 2016.