Hemp seed

Country
New Zealand (NZ)
Scientific Name
Cannabis sativa
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Consumption
NPPO Details
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit No
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Refer below
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.


For imported hemp seeds that have arrived with a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country that meets New Zealand's import requirements, have remained sealed, and are being re-exported to New Zealand, refer to the Hemp seed (re-export) Micor case for New Zealand.

Narcotics Control Section requirements

The exporter must have met Australian requirements for the export of Cannabis sativa seed by being issued an export licence and permit by the Narcotics Control Section (ncs@health.gov.au. These documents must be presented to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.

Explanation of the endorsements

The consignment must meet one of the following requirements:

Endorsement 6303:

  • Seeds have been rendered non-viable by heat treatment as per the Treatment section below prior to arrival in New Zealand.
  • A phytosanitary certificate may be issued for imported seed intended for re-export if the seed is treated in Australia prior to re-export. The country of origin should be specified in the additional product description field of the RFP. To enable the field on the RFP the exporter must submit a request to the EXDOC Plant Programs via email (EXDOCPlantPrograms@aff.gov.au).

Endorsement 6304:

  • Visual inspection by the Authorised Officer is sufficient to endorse the statement "the seeds were hulled and the consignment contains no viable whole seeds". The relevant EXDOC Endorsement number must be recorded on the inspection record by the Authorised Officer.

Endorsement 7751:

  • An area freedom certificate issued by the relevant state government is presented endorsing a pest free area or a pest free place of production free from Curvularia cymbopogonis, Leptosphaeria woroninii and Septoria cannabis.

Endorsement 6305:

  • A laboratory analysis certificate is presented endorsing that a sample size of five times (5×) ISTA or AOSA guidelines/methodologies was drawn and the test results were negative for Curvularia cymbopogonis, Leptosphaeria woroninii and Septoria cannabis.
  • A phytosanitary certificate may be issued for imported seed intended for re-export if the seed is tested in Australia prior to re-export. The country of origin should be specified in the additional product description field of the RFP. To enable the field on the RFP the exporter must submit a request to the EXDOC Plant Programs via email (EXDOCPlantPrograms@aff.gov.au).

No additional declaration:

  • Seeds will be heat treated in a transitional facility in New Zealand to render them non-viable. No additional declaration is required for seeds to be treated in New Zealand.
Explanation of Additional Statement 8191:

This Additional Statement replaces EXDOC extra certificate GL13.

This is applicable when all the below apply:
• The consignment is being imported for further processing.
• Pre-export sampling is an option for this product—check the relevant entry in the GCFP.IHS: Grain and Seeds for Consumption, Feed or Processing 2024 - Import Health Standard.
• The consignment is NOT being analysed in New Zealand as per 1.6 of the GCFP.IHS.

The exporter is to provide evidence attesting to the treatment and present it to the Authorised Officer at the time of inspection.


If the exporter selects Endorsement 6303, the seed must be heat treated at 85 degrees Celsius (core temperature) and 40% relative humidity for a minimum of 15 continuous hours or at a temperature/time regime verified to be effective in devitalising seed.

Details of treatment to be endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate in the treatment section.
Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 6303)
1) The seeds were heat-treated and the consignment contains no viable seeds.

Option 2 (EXDOC Endorsement 6304)
1) The seeds were hulled and the consignment contains no viable whole seeds.

Option 3 (EXDOC Endorsement 7751)
1) The seeds have been sourced from a pest free area or a pest free place of production free from Curvularia cymbopogonis, Leptosphaeria woroninii and Septoria cannabis.

Option 4 (EXDOC Endorsement 6305)
1) The seeds have been representativelysampled with a sample size of five times (5x) ISTA or AOSA guidelines/methodologies. The samples were tested at a NPPO-approved diagnostic laboratory and the test result is negative for Curvularia cymbopogonis, Leptosphaeria woroninii and Septoria cannabis.

Additional Statement:
Option 1 (Additional Statement 8191)
Declaration for seed sampling
1) A primary sample was officially drawn during the loading of the consignment, at a rate of at least one primary sample per 100 tonnes of grain.
2) All submitted samples were prepared and dispatched in accordance with ISTA rules.
Import Health Standard: Grain and Seeds for Consumption, Feed or Processing (GCFP.IHS) dated 11 November 2019 and correspondence with Department of Health 25 March 2024. Import Health Standard: Grain and Seeds for Consumption, Feed or Processing (GCFP.IHS) sighted 11 March 2024 and 14 October 2025, and correspondence with Department of Health 27 March 2024.
17/10/2025 - New additional statement 8191 created.
11/04/2024 - Amended text for endorsements 6303, 6304 and 6305. New endorsement 7751 created.
10/04/2024 - Updated general requirements to show correct email address for Narcotics Control Section.
09/04/2021 - Update to General Requirements - Update for re-export conditions.
Initial Uploaded: 30/01/2019
Reviewed Uploaded: 18/07/2026