The California Citrus Quality Council (CCQC) is providing new information about import requirements for New Zealand. Most of the requirements for New Zealand have not changed, but there are differences. Please note the difference for navel oranges below as compared to all other oranges; county-wide Sweet Orange Scab (SOS) provisions have been dropped; and New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary industries (MPI) has suspended its zero tolerance for split and cut fruit.
The new regulations are effective immediately, but MPI has provided a transition period until Monday, April 25, 2022 for final implementation.
New Additional Declarations (these will replace the old ones):
California oranges WITH a navel
“The navel oranges in this consignment were produced and prepared for export in accordance with the agreed bilateral arrangement.”
AND
“The navel oranges in this consignment were sourced from a pest-free area for Anastrepha suspensa.”
All other citrus fruit, including oranges WITHOUT a navel:
“This consignment was produced and prepared for export in accordance with the agreed bilateral arrangement.”
AND
“This consignment was sourced from a pest-free area for Anastrepha suspensa.”
Additional export requirements/guidance (to be listed in PExD):
California oranges WITH a navel
- Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) is required.
- State of origin must be included on the PC.
- Exporters should select “navel orange” as the commodity when applying for a PC for oranges (Citrus sinensis) with a navel from California.
- Required treatment: fumigation with phosphine; the schedule has not changed
- Must be sourced from a pest-free area for fruit flies.
- All shipments must meet the requirements listed in Appendix 1 of the “U.S. citrus to New Zealand Bilateral arrangement on import requirements.”
- All fruit must be sourced from commercial production areas that use integrated pest management.
- All fruit must be washed, brushed, and waxed.
- Must not include flowers, leaves, roots, or any other plant parts.
- Organic citrus is not eligible for export to New Zealand.
- Consignments with a single, homogenous grower lot: Inspect 600 units.
- Consignments with multiple grower lots: Inspect 900 units drawn proportionately from all grower lots across the consignment.
All other citrus fruit, including oranges WITHOUT a navel:
- Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) is required.
- State of origin must be included on the PC.
- Must be sourced from a pest-free area for fruit flies.
- All shipments must meet the requirements listed in Appendix 1 of the “U.S. citrus to New Zealand 2022 Bilateral arrangement on import requirements.”
- All fruit must be sourced from commercial production areas that use integrated pest management.
- All fruit must be washed, brushed, and waxed.
- Must not include flowers, leaves, roots, or any other plant parts.
- Organic citrus is not eligible for export to New Zealand.
- Consignments with a single, homogenous grower lot: Inspect 600 units.
- Consignments with multiple grower lots: Inspect 900 units drawn proportionately from all grower lots across the consignment.
Key changes to note:
- The new “Additional Declarations” completely replace the old ones.
- California oranges with and without a navel will be listed separately in PExD, making it clear that oranges with a navel have different requirements.
- For exports to New Zealand, there are no longer different requirements for different California counties and there are no special requirements for sweet orange scab.
- MPI has removed the zero-tolerance restriction on splits and cuts. Shipments containing split and cut fruit no longer require reconditioning and will not be rejected based on splits/cuts alone. For any shipment found to contain splits/cuts, the splits/cuts will be inspected for pests. If pests are found, that would be a regular noncompliance event for the pests, but not the splits/cuts.
Please contact Jim Cranney by telephone at (530) 885-1894 or via e-mail at jcranney@ccqc.org if you have questions or need additional information.
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