Clean Fruit Plants receives recognition as approved offshore facility for exporting to New Zealand

Publicationdate: 13 december 2024

The Dutch-based Clean Fruit Plants (CFP), located in Horst, has signed an agreement with the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). This makes it possible to ship propagation material of a selection of fruit species, with reduced risk of introducing disease. The material therefore will have reduced post-entry quarantine requirements in New Zealand.

Photo caption: Jan Veltmans, director of CFP, signs the agreement in the Netherlands in the presence of ir. M.C. (Lianne) Kersbergen, chief phytosanitary officer Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature and drs. J.R.A. (Jacq) de Koning, head of Health, Testing & Analyses Naktuinbouw.
In New Zealand, the contract was signed by Lisa Winthrop, Director of Biosecurity Import & Export Standards of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Faster access to the market

Owners of varieties maintained or handled by CFP therefore can get them more quickly into the New Zealand market, to test suitable varieties. CFP facilitates the whole transfer service on behalf of the variety owner.

The agreement follows a strong request of the New Zealand fruit industry. CFP has worked intensively together with Naktuinbouw (in the role of a test facility) over the last two years, with the MPI audit and standards teams, to achieve this approval.

Takeover of activities

Clean Fruit Plants is an independent foundation that has taken over the responsibilities of maintaining and delivering fruit varieties from Naktuinbouw. In view of the involvement in the preliminary phase and the takeover of the activities by CFP that are still in transition, Naktuinbouw is co-signing this agreement. From 2026, CPF will enter into an agreement directly with MPI.

Unique position

The agreement recognizes the distinctive position of CFP in Europe as a service hub for high quality propagation material. New Zealand has strict biosecurity regulations for incoming material, to protect its horticultural industry. Therefore, the entire process of maintenance and testing plant material for export was subject to MPI’s evaluation, including quality assurance and traceability. The audits have verified that CFP and Naktuinbouw’s processes meet New Zealand’s offshore facility requirements.

Bron: Clean Fruit Plants

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