There’s some great news for NZPPI members, with MPI completing its biosecurity assessment for 11 of the 12 plant species that NZPPI successfully gained EPA approval for in 2023.

The Plants Biosecurity Index (PBI) is expected to be updated in the next few weeks, opening the door for these species to be legally imported into New Zealand, subject to the relevant import health requirements.

This is a significant step forward for the foliage houseplant sector and an encouraging development in how MPI is approaching plant import regulation.

Breaking the ‘Requires Assessment’ deadlock

For many years, numerous plant species have been stuck in regulatory limbo. Although they are no longer classified as new organisms under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, or have received EPA approval, they remain listed on the PBI as ‘Requires Assessment’. This means they cannot be imported until MPI completes a biosecurity assessment and establishes the import requirements.

Our 2023 EPA approval resulted in 12 additional species entering this holding pattern, joining many others that have been waiting considerably longer.

The good news is that MPI has now developed a more practical approach to resolving this backlog. 

A more practical, genus-level approach

MPI has started applying a baseline assessment process that uses existing biosecurity requirements for other species within the same genus.

Rather than undertaking a completely new risk assessment for every species, MPI uses a checklist to identify whether there are specific risks or circumstances that warrant further assessment or consultation. Where no additional concerns are identified, MPI adopts the existing genus-level import requirements.

This approach reflects a broader shift towards managing biosecurity risks at genus level, except where there is a clear reason to treat individual species differently. We have seen similar thinking in MPI's management of Xylella host plants and the import suspensions introduced in 2025.

For NZPPI, this is an important development. It offers a more proportionate and efficient way to manage biosecurity risks while improving access to new plant material.

Which species are coming?

Species expected to become available for import include:

• Alocasia micholitziana
• Anthurium clarinervium
• Anthurium veitchii
• Goeppertia bella (G. kegeljanii)
• Goeppertia orbifolia
• Peperomia albovittata
• Peperomia pecuniifolia
• Peperomia quadrangularis
• Peperomia rotundifolia
• Pilea peperomioides
• Plumeria pudica
• Philodendron erubescens

MPI have not yet assessed Macodes petola, from our EPA approval, as there isn’t an IHS for any other Macodes species.

Importers should check the updated PBI and applicable import health standard before arranging shipments.

Turning a border problem into progress

Interestingly, the recent tightening of plant identification checks at the border, which resulted in several houseplant consignments being detained under Chief Technical Officer (CTO) directions, has helped bring this issue into focus.

NZPPI has been working closely with affected members and MPI to resolve the approval status of these plants, including preparing further EPA applications. But there has always been a fundamental problem. There is little point in industry investing time and money to secure EPA approval if the species then remain indefinitely on MPI's ‘Requires Assessment’ list.

We have raised this directly with MPI, and importantly, MPI has agreed that where industry undertakes the necessary EPA approval work, it will follow through with biosecurity assessments using its new process. This is a welcome commitment and gives industry greater confidence to invest in applications for additional species.

It's worth noting that this work is happening under the current plant import system, rather than as part of MPI's wider Plant Import System Reform project. MPI is finding more practical ways to apply existing import requirements and get species moving through the system, without waiting for the bigger reforms to be completed. It's a good example of the improvements that are already possible under the current rules, while the longer-term reform work continues.

After years of consultation, we now expect MPI to begin working through the details of redesigning the system together with the industry. We are hopeful that we will see real progress during 2027.

More species in the pipeline

NZPPI is continuing this work, with a section 26 application being prepared for Goeppertia roseopicta and Monstera adansonii, among others.

We are also preparing a Rapid Assessment application covering additional Goeppertia species and horticultural hybrids of Philodendron.

We hope these applications will deliver positive EPA decisions, followed by timely MPI assessments, allowing New Zealand growers and importers to legitimately access a much wider range of foliage houseplants in the months and years ahead.

There is still work to do, but this is a great start. It shows what is possible when industry and regulators work together to find practical solutions.

A big thank you to the members who have supported this work and to the MPI team for taking a constructive approach to resolving a longstanding issue.

Well done, everyone. This is a result worth celebrating!