Market Access Information and Guidance

Specific information on exporting and MPI’s role in market access can be found on the MPI website under ‘Exporting Overview’. Generally speaking all food products exported overseas must meet New Zealand standards and comply with market or importing country requirements where they are known.

Meeting New Zealand Standards

All food products must meet New Zealand standards to ensure product produced in New Zealand is safe and suitable for consumers. This includes provisions under the Food Act 2014 and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and other key legislation where relevant, such as the Animal Products Act 1999 for foods containing animal material.

Meeting market requirements

Food exported overseas should also comply with any additional importing country requirements where they are known.

Understanding what importing country requirements need to be met often involves liaising with an overseas agent or importer to obtain advice in meeting market requirements. This may include obtaining an import permit, or registering as an exporter in the destination country or providing additional documentation where required.

General Guidance

MPI can assist in providing general guidance on market requirements where it is known for certain products. This includes For Your Information (FYI) documents intended to provide general market guidance on exporting issues. The following FYI documents are publically accessible.

F51/17: China: Food Certification Requirements

F46/17: Indonesia Microbiological Criteria for Processed Foods

GCC Guide for Control on Imported Foods

F18/17: China Health Food Regulations

FYI 15/17 USA FDA Registration as a Food Facility

FYI 12/17 Canada Proposed Food Safety Regulations

FYI 41/16 USA Food Safety Modernisation Act Rules: Information and Guidance

Other information

Exporting to USA

Additional market information

Exporting to China

China has a number of national standards (known as Guo Biao or GB standards) such as for health foods, food additives, packaging and labelling etc, which all foods exported into China will need to meet.

MPI has acquired translated versions of some of China’s GB standards, which are listed below. These are only intended as guides, and exporters should liaise with their importers for details. MPI does not take responsibility for inaccuracies in these translations and note that some of the standards may have been updated or replaced.

Translated China GB Standards