10 JULY                            THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE                            2073

Notice Setting out the Requirements for the Importation of Seeds, Stock Food and Related Dried Preserved Products (Notice No. 2374, Ag. 12/2/21)

Pursuant to the Introduction and Quarantine of Plants Regulations 1973, and the Stock Foods and Agricultural Seeds Importation Regulations 1958, the Director-General of Agriculture and Fisheries hereby gives the following notice.

NOTICE

1. Title—This notice may be cited as the Importation of Seeds Notice 1980.

2. The importation of fresh produce is covered by the Importation of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Notice, 1980.

3. Types of Seed—(a) For quarantine purposes, seed is divided into the following groups: agricultural seed (including cereal, pulse, pasture, fodder, oil, vegetable, herb, and spice seed), tree and shrub seed, flower seed, and miscellaneous items including microbiological cultures and spawns.

(b) For importing purposes seed is divided into the following categories based upon the proposed end use, viz:

Seed for sowing—Schedule A.

Seed for human consumption, stock food, bird seed, processing, manufacture, and other uses—Schedule B.

(c) When seed has been imported for one purpose, and then found not suitable for that purpose, it must be not used for any other purpose without the prior approval of the Director-General of Agriculture and Fisheries.

(d) Many tree and shrub seeds imported for sowing are excluded from this notice and may be imported provided they are accompanied by an International Health Certificate (Appendix 1, Certificate No. III, basic form) and comply with the conditions of paragraph 5 below. Common exceptions are listed in the tree and shrub group of Schedule A.

(e) Flower seeds (i.e., seed of herbaceous plants grown for their ornamental flowers) must comply with the conditions of paragraph 5 below. Common exceptions are listed in the flower seed group of Schedule A.

4. Imports of Seed for Treatment and Re-export—The Director-General of Agriculture and Fisheries, may authorise firms to import seed for the purpose of treatment (e.g., packeting, dressing, and coating), and re-export. Application for authorisation should be made to the Officer in Charge, Plant Health and Diagnostic Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Levin.

5. General Conditions—All imports under this notice must be named, clearly identifiable, substantially free from injurious extraneous matter, apparently free from pests and disease, and packed in clean new sacks or packages, or in clean containers that are secured against loss or spillage in transit.

6. On arrival in New Zealand, imports will be inspected by a port agriculture officer. If the seed, stock food, or related dried products do not comply with the conditions of this notice, or with prior written conditions imposed by the Director-General, or are found to be infested with pest or disease, the import may be reshipped, destroyed, treated, or detained as directed by the Inspector at the importers risk and expense.

The ministry reserves the right to inspect any crop grown from imported seed and to require treatment of that crop if necessary.

7. The Introduction and Quarantine of Plants Regulations 1973 provide that no agricultural seed may be introduced without a prior permit to import from the Director-General of Agriculture and Fisheries. This notice indicates the likely conditions for the issue of permits, and the items currently under general consent (see note 3 to Schedule A), but the Director-General may, for plant health reasons, withdraw his consent for the importation of any item specified or vary the conditions for entry without prior notice. Alterations, additions, and deletions to this notice will be notified by the issue of amendment notices. Persons wishing to be placed on the mailing list for any subsequent amendments to this notice should send their names and addresses to the Officer in Charge, Plant Health and Diagnostic Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Private Bag, Levin.

Information on the conditions for the import of items not mentioned in this notice may be obtained from the above address.

8. Revocation—The Importation of Seeds Notice 1977 (Notice No. 1575, Ag. 31005, New Zealand Gazette, No. 14, 10 February 1977, pages 295 et. seq.), and the amendment to that notice (No. 1761, Ag. 31005, New Zealand Gazette, No. 88, 18 August 1977, pages 2274 et. seq.), issued pursuant to the Introduction and Quarantine of Plants Regulations 1973, and the Stock Foods and Agricultural Seeds Importation Regulations 1958, are hereby revoked.

NOTES TO SCHEDULE A—SEEDS FOR SOWING

This Schedule sets out the likely conditions for the import of seeds that are to be used for sowing purposes.

1. Acceptable Cultivars—Schedules of acceptable cultivars are contained in Appendix II to this notice. These are lists of New Zealand and overseas cultivars considered to be of value to New Zealand agriculture. Seed of overseas cultivars included on the lists may be imported for use in New Zealand. Each sack or container of imported seed of an acceptable cultivar must be tagged as being certified under the seed certification system in the state or country or origin.

2. Permits Required—(a) A prior permit from the Director-General of Agriculture and Fisheries to import any seed is required where the word "Permit" appears in column 4 in this Schedule beside the name of that seed. A permit may be issued subject to such conditions as the Director-General thinks fit. (Where the conditions are reasonably stable, these are indicated in this Schedule). A prior permit is also required for any agricultural seed not listed in this Schedule. A prior permit is not normally required for tree, shrub, or flower seeds not listed in this Schedule.

(b) Import permits for seeds of cultivars additional to those listed on the acceptable cultivar Schedule may be granted:

(i) For multiplication and re-export purposes. Quarantine conditions must be fulfilled. The Crop must be grown under the supervision of the ministry and no seed, either imported or taken from the resultant crop, is to be used or sold in New Zealand for seed without the prior approval of the Director-General.

Imports of seed for multiplication and re-export are limited to cultivars certified under an official seed certification system in the country of origin.

(ii) For the importation of small quantities of named cultivars/varieties/lines for evaluation, i.e., for trial purposes only, to assess performance in New Zealand. "Named" means that any imported cultivar/variety/line must be distinguishable either by a name or by a breeder's reference number. Most seeds for evaluation may be imported without the need to be accompanied by a storage, health, or purity analysis certificate provided the quantity of each named cultivar/variety/line does not exceed the maximum quantities listed below. Those seeds requiring a storage certificate under this notice will be fumigated by the Port Agriculture Service before release to the importer. The Director-General has approved the following maximum quantities of seed that may be imported for evaluation:

Additional import quantities required for further testing may be granted at the discretion of the Director-General. Two of the conditions on the permit to import for evaluation purposes will be that seed must be grown at a place approved by the Director-General, and that the seed, or seed subsequently produced, may not be sold as seed within New Zealand unless and until such time as any of the new introductions qualify for 'acceptable listing'. Maximum quantities for seed of species not included in the above list will be given on application.

F