Access and certification for New Zealand pork exports into Australia has been agreed by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Australian department officials visited New Zealand to gain an understanding of its systems, followed by a series of negotiations and close engagement by both parties.
The access allows uncooked New Zealand pork meat and products containing New Zealand pork. However, uncooked pork meat will require further processing once it arrives into Australia.
Pork exports to Australia can start immediately.
Jarred Mair, MPI’s deputy director-general policy and trade, said: “New Zealand has a very strong meat regulatory system, which is held in high regard by our trading partners.
“These have helped towards enabling access to Australia for our pork and pork products.
“We appreciate, and would like to acknowledge, the support of the New Zealand pork industry in reaching this milestone. Australia is already a very important market for New Zealand’s primary products,” said Mair. “We’re pleased to be able to add pork and pork products to the list.”
New Zealand’s pork exports are currently limited to a small number of markets, such as the Pacific Islands and Singapore. In the year to 30 June 2017, New Zealand exported 173 tonnes of pork in total, valued at around NZ$1 million.
New Zealand Pork chairman Ian Carter said access to Australia for New Zealand pork would provide a “positive boost for New Zealand’s pork industry”.
“Commercial pig farmers in New Zealand are passionate about the care and expertise they invest in farming their pigs,” he said. “We see the granting of access to Australia as an important formative step to explore export markets that value the qualities associated with pork and pork products produced from pigs born and raised in New Zealand, backed by PigCare – the industry’s independently managed animal welfare assurance programme – and the sector’s world-leading high health status.
“We are grateful for MPI’s support in facilitating this first step.”