Browse Data and Analysis

New Zealand continues to be an important market for U.S. agricultural products. In 2021, despite logistical and other challenges because of COVID-19, New Zealand’s imports continued to grow to a record US$ 625 million of U.S. agricultural products.

This report serves as a road map for U.S. companies exporting to Ecuador. While Ecuador is a challenging market for U.S. food and agricultural products, it is also one of opportunities. Domestic production cannot meet consumer demand, necessitating continued imports.

The retail industry is an important component of Ecuador’s economy. The 2022 forecasts for retail food sales is $24.9 billion and for consumer expenditures on food, beverages, and tobacco is $15.9 billion. Excellent sales prospects exist for U.S. food products to supply this sector.

The legal and regulatory situation to allow the planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops in Ecuador remains relatively the same as 2021. Commercial cultivation of GE crops is not permitted, however cultivation for research is allowed and an exception exists for GE products without recombinant or foreign DNA in the genome. A ruling by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court in early 2022 now makes it more difficult for the President to authorize exceptions to the GE ban.

The New Zealand Productivity Commission submitted a report to the Government of New Zealand recommending that a review should be done on regulation of genetic modification to ensure it is fit for purpose and supports domestic innovation. Other than that, there have been no recent significant official changes to the genetically engineered (GE) policies established by the New Zealand government.

The outlook for the 2022/23 apple season in New Zealand is much more optimistic with the opening of international borders following COVID-19 restrictions. While the last two apple harvests were severely impacted by the lack of labor, the return of overseas workers under the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme is expected to help allow a recovery in production, with the forecast up 12 percent from the previous year’s estimated crop.

New Zealand milk production is forecasted to fall slightly in 2023. Although milk prices are at extremely high levels and expected to remain elevated, a number of issues are limiting the production response. This includes a slowly declining national herd, and also that on-farm inflation is expected to remain high as a result of the weak NZ dollar impacting imported input prices, as well as strong global fuel prices.

The Covid-19 pandemic had a major effect on the Hotel, Restaurant, Institutional (HRI) sector in New Zealand. This is especially true of the tourism and hospitality sectors which have been severely hit by the closed international borders.

New Zealand is expected to have already reached “peak” cattle numbers, and FAS/Wellington anticipates a very gradual decline in both dairy and beef cow numbers in the near future. One of the major influences on this is New Zealand governmental policy, and in particular regulations regarding livestock exclusion around certain water sources, as well as proposed pricing of agricultural emissions.

This report lists the major export certificates and other documentation required by the Government of New Zealand for U.S. exporters and food and agricultural products. New Zealand’s import requirements for food and agricultural products are complex and change frequently.

New Zealand has strict biosecurity rules for plant and animal products but also imports large volumes of food and beverage products. This report outlines regulatory requirements for food and agricultural products exported to New Zealand. Key recent changes include regulations relating to organic foods, as well as the introduction of country-of-origin labeling for some products.

Recently, the New Zealand Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership – He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) – delivered their recommendations on an alternative agricultural emissions solution to the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). In its report, HWEN outlined various recommendations which center around a farm-level split gas levy on emissions.