Sunflower seed

Country
New Zealand (NZ)
Scientific Name
Helianthus spp.
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Consumption
NPPO Details
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/biosecuritynz
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit No
Phytosanitary Certificate Yes
Additional Declaration/Endorsement Yes
Protocol Market No

Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.

The consignment must meet all requirements of IHS Part 1 and Part 2.22, including the requirement to be free of unidentified viable seeds which are:
Sunflower seed devitalised in Australia:
  • Applies to viable grain / seed for treatment to render them non-viable in Australia
  • grain must be rendered non-viable prior to arrival in New Zealand, using one of the treatment options listed in Appendix 2 of the IHS.
  • Additional Decleration 1304 or is required
Sunflower seed to be treated in New Zealand:
  • Applies to viable grain / seed for treatment to render them non-viable at a transitional facility.
  • For grain that is to be treated on arrival, the importer should, prior to import, ensure that the transitional facility can treat the consignment.
  • No Additional Decleration is required.
Sunflower seed for processing in New Zealand:
  • Applies to viable grain / seed for processing to render them non-viable at a transitional facility.
  • A Sampling Certificate (Additional Statement 8191) and Seed Analysis Certificate is required. Otherwise, the grain will be analysed upon arrival in New Zealand
  • The Seed Analysis Certificate must be issued by an Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) or ISTA accredited seed testing station or an Australian laboratory capable of undertaking the analysis.
Importation of grain/seeds for biosecurity clearance on arrival at the New Zealand border:
  • A Sampling Certificate (Additional Statement 8191) and Seed Analysis Certificate is required. Otherwise, the grain will be analysed upon arrival in New Zealand
  • The Seed Analysis Certificate must be issued by an Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) or ISTA accredited seed testing station or an Australian laboratory capable of undertaking the analysis.
Explanation of the endorsements

Endorsement 1304:
  • Applies to non-viable grain that has been devitalised in Australia by heat treatment.
  • Grains/seeds must be heat treated as per the Treatment section.
Sunflower seed for processing in New Zealand (Endorsement 7259):  
  • A Sampling Certificate (Additional Statement 8191) and Seed Analysis Certificate is required. Otherwise, the grain will be analysed upon arrival in New Zealand.
  • The Seed Analysis Certificate must be issued by an Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) or ISTA accredited seed testing station or an Australian laboratory capable of undertaking the analysis.
Importation of grain/seeds for biosecurity clearance on arrival at the New Zealand border (Endorsement 7262):
  • A Sampling Certificate (Additional Statement 8191) and Seed Analysis Certificate is required. Otherwise, the grain will be analysed upon arrival in New Zealand.
  • The Seed Analysis Certificate must be issued by an Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) or ISTA accredited seed testing station or an Australian laboratory capable of undertaking the analysis.
Endorsement 7258:
  • A crop inspection report is required for endorsing freedom from Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi.
Endorsement 7259:
  • Consignments must meet the requirements listed in the section titled Grain/seeds for Sunflower seed for processing in New Zealand.
  • The grain/seed must be representatively sampled with a sample size of five times (5×) ISTA or AOSA guidelines/methodologies.
  • The samples must be tested at a NPPO-approved diagnostic laboratory and the test result was negative for Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi.
  • A Sampling and Laboratory Analysis Certificate is required as supporting evidence for both the sampling methodology and test results.
  • The sample rate for Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi testing is different to the sample rate for seed analysis.
Endorsement 7260:
  • An Area Freedom Certificate for Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi must be presented at the time of inspection.
  • Sunflower mosaic virus is known not to occur in Australia. No evidence is required to endorse freedom from this pest
  • Visual inspection by an Authorised Officer is sufficient for endorsing freedom from any live, visually detectable regulated insects and mites
Endorsement 7261:
  • A crop inspection Certificate for Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi must be presented at the time of inspection.
  • Sunflower mosaic virus is known not to occur in Australia. No evidence is required to endorse freedom from this pest
  • Visual inspection by an Authorised Officer is sufficient for endorsing freedom from any live, visually detectable regulated insects and mites
Endorsement 7262:
  • Sunflower mosaic virus is known not to occur in Australia. No evidence is required to endorse freedom from this pest
  • Visual inspection by an Authorised Officer is sufficient for endorsing freedom from any live, visually detectable regulated insects and mites
  • A Laboratory Analyis Certificate for Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi, must be presented at the time of inspection.
  • A Sampler's Certificate, Laboratory Analysis Certificate or Exporter's Declaration must be presented as evidence that the Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi, testing sample was drawn size of five times ISTA or AOSA guidelines/methodologies.
  • The sample rate required for the Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi, testing is different to the sample rate required for the seed analysis
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.

If endorsement 1304 is applied, then the consignment must be heat treated at:

  • 85 degrees Celsius for 15 hours at  a minimum 40% relative humidity.
OR
  • 100 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 30 minutes
OR
  • 121 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 15 minutes

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

Option 1 (EXDOC Endorsement 1304)
1) The grain/seed in this consignment has been heat treated and the consignment contains no viable seeds.

Option 2 (EXDOC Endorsement 7258)
1) The crop was inspected during active growth and found free of Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi

Option 3 (EXDOC Endorsement 7259)
1) The seeds were representatively sampled 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 was negative for Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi

Option 4 (EXDOC Endorsement 7260)
1) A representative sample has been inspected in accordance with appropriate official procedures and found to be free of any live, visually detectable regulated insects and mites.
2) Sunflower mosaic virus is known not to occur in Australia,
3) The seed has been sourced from a pest free area, free from Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi

Option 5 (EXDOC Endorsement 7261)
1) A representative sample has been inspected in accordance with appropriate official procedures and found to be free of any live, visually detectable regulated insects and mites.
2) Sunflower mosaic virus is known not to occur in Australia,
3) The seed has been sourced from a pest free place of production, free from Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi

Option 6 (EXDOC Endorsement 7262)
1) A representative sample has been inspected in accordance with appropriate official procedures and found to be free of any live, visually detectable regulated insects and mites.
2) Sunflower mosaic virus is known not to occur in Australia,
3) The consignment was representatively sampled with a sample size of five times (5x) ISTA or AOSA guidelines/methodologies and tested in an NPPO approved diagnostic laboratory and found free from Pseudomonas syringae pv aptata, Pseudomonas syringae pv tagetis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Diaporthe helianthi, Leptosphaeria lindquistii and Septoria helianthi,

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 sighted 21 February 2023 and 15 October 2025, notification from NPPO dated 19 July 2022

21/10/2025 - New additional statement 8191 created.
21/02/2023 - New treatment option added
25/07/2022 - Amended case based on revised Import Health Standards.
12/03/2021 - Updates to general requirements - reference to IHS added.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 21/10/2025