Indonesia and New Zealand have officially updated their export-import protocols for onions to better safeguard agricultural biosecurity. The revised agreement, made between Indonesia's Agricultural Quarantine Agency (Barantin) and New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, aims to prevent the entry of quarantine plant pests (OPTK) and reinforce the phytosanitary compliance of imported goods. Deputy for Plant Quarantine at Barantin, Bambang, emphasized that this protocol revision supports Indonesia’s pre-border policy approach, ensuring that quarantine checks begin from the production stage in the exporting country. With this updated regulation, only onions meeting high phytosanitary standards—free from pests, roots, shoots, and soil—can be certified and exported. This step is expected to prevent past issues such as shipment rejections due to non-compliance.
If significant discrepancies are found, Barantin retains the right to perform onsite or remote audits in New Zealand to ensure compliance by registered farms and packing facilities. The new agreement, signed on July 9, 2024, took effect on August 1, 2024, and will remain valid for three years with automatic renewal unless either party requests changes or termination. Lisa Winthrop, Director of Biosecurity Standards at New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, welcomed the update and reaffirmed Indonesia’s importance as a key export market for onions. She expressed optimism that the strengthened cooperation would help resolve trade issues and maintain the smooth flow of high-quality produce between the two countries.
