Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our MPI Trade Certification survey over the last two months. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps inform future improvements to the electronic system.

There will be another opportunity to participate in MPI Trade Certification survey later in 2026. Look out for an invitation to participate in future editions of Wine News.

In this section you will find information to help you use MPI Trade Certification. Refer to the MPI Trade Certification User Guide with more detailed information, available here.

Manufacturer self-registration in the China CIFER system

MPI has published F54/25: Update for establishments self-registered in CIFER, which contains information regarding the self-registration process.

The registration number you enter into China’s CIFER system must be your MPI issued WSMP ID and not your NZBN number. There is a risk of an import suspension being issued to businesses if this error is detected within CIFER. To avoid any trade disruptions, check your details are correct and amend if necessary.

To do this, log into CIFER, create a new registration with the correct information and then cancel the one with the errors.

Making organic wine – reminder about inputs

Wine that is exported to markets covered by the MPI Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP) must be produced and handled in compliance with the technical rules specified in the Organic Export Requirement: Overseas Market Access Requirements (OER: OMAR) document for the destination market. OER: OMARs can be found on the MPI website here:
Requirement documents for exporting organics | NZ Government

In most cases, this means the wine must be made in compliance with the technical requirements in Organic Export Requirement: Organic Production Rules (OER: OPR).

Organic wine for export to the United States of America (USA) must be produced in compliance with the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (7cfr205).

Please ensure that you are only using inputs (food additives and processing aids) which are allowed to be added to ‘organic wine’, including via ‘topping wine’.

If you, or your winemaker, adds an input that is not allowed under the relevant technical rules for organic wine, the wine cannot be labelled or marketed as ‘organic’. If in doubt, contact your recognised agency for the OOAP.

Exporting organic wine reminders

If you are exporting organic wine under the OOAP, each consignment must have an official organic assurance issued by MPI. Without this, your importer will not be able to prove that the wine complies with their regulations for ‘organic’ labelling. Please remember that some organic markets have strict deadlines for getting the official organic assurance.

MPI encourages you to work closely with your freight forwarders to ensure you are kept up to date with timely advice about changes to shipping.

• If you are exporting organic wine to the European Union (EU), Switzerland, Norway, and/or Northern Ireland, the Certificate of (organic) Inspection (COI) must be issued in the EU’s electronic certification system (TRACES) before the wine leaves New Zealand.
• If you are exporting organic wine to the United Kingdom (UK) (excluding Northern Ireland), the Great Britain Certificate of (organic) Inspection (GB-COI) must be issued in MPI Trade Certification before the wine leaves New Zealand.
• If you are exporting organic wine to USA, the National Organic Program (NOP) Import Certificate must be requested before the wine leaves New Zealand and issued before the wine arrives in the USA.
• If you are exporting organic wine to Taiwan or Japan, the deadlines are not so strict. MPI recommends the official organic assurance is issued before the wine leaves New Zealand. MPI is unlikely to issue an official organic assurance if the wine has already arrived in market.

Contact Us

If there are specific items that you would like us to cover in future editions, please get in touch with us.

Wine Assurance, New Zealand Food Safety — Haumaru Kai Aotearoa

Email wine.query@mpi.govt.nz  

Website Exporting New Zealand grape wine | NZ Government

For updates on export information such as OMARs and FYI documents, click the link below.