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Weekly Update 6 December 2021
Kia ora kotou,
Welcome to our new weekly update report. We want to keep you informed of our work and answer your questions. We'll include lodgement queue processing times and volumes.
This week
Sea freight queue
For this week, sea freight lodgement turnaround is estimated at 3 - 6 days.
On Monday 6 December, morning, the total sea freight queue (includes Australian lodgements) stood at 1664 lodgements and TET were processing lodgements due back Friday, 3 December at 8:15am
Last week: average turnaround of sea freight lodgement for first submissions was 28:15 hrs (previous week 31:30 hrs) and for second submissions 13:30 hrs (previous week 15:08 hrs)
Airfreight queue
For the coming week, air freight lodgement turnaround is estimated 3 - 12 hours
On Monday 6 December, morning, there were 389 airfreight lodgements in the queue for processing and TET were processing those due back today at 7:14am
Last week: average turnaround of air freight lodgement for first submissions was 11:32 hrs (previous week 10:12hrs) and for second submissions 11:54 hrs (previous week 11:38 hrs)
Australia queue
On Monday 6 December, morning, there were 284 Australian specific lodgements, the team is processing consignments due back Friday 3 December at 8:15am
Last week:
Average turnaround of air freight lodgement for first submissions was 11:40 hrs (previous week 9:19 hrs) and for second submissions 10:52 hrs (previous week 12:10 hrs).
Average turnaround of sea freight lodgement for first submissions was 23:28 hrs (previous week 25:16 hrs) and for second submissions 11:34 hrs (previous week 15:25 hrs)
Pressure point: Email inboxes
Target Evaluation’s urgency email is under pressure at this time of year. If you wish to have a port hold removed, a copy of a BACC, a copy of charges or an ATF change these can be done over the phone and are likely a quicker option for you.
Please email either the TargetEvaluator.Cargo email (non-urgent enquiry) OR the Manifest email (for items meeting our urgency criteria). You do not need to email both inboxes and we ask that you email only once please. Extra work is created if two or more Target Evaluators need to check multiple emails to see if the request has been processed.
If you are requesting urgency, please ensure that your consignment meets the criteria. Any additional information requested on a BACC should be updated via TSW in the first instance and an urgency request may be sent after this has been done (if applicable urgency criteria are met).
Whilst it is lovely to receive thank you emails when we process something from the inbox for you, this is unnecessary, and we ask that you refrain from doing this so as not to add to our email queue.
Lodgements processed Weekly 29 November – 5 December
All timings are based on business hours from 7am to 5pm.
Total lodgements processed = 6,155 (previous week 6,131)
Air cargo first lodgements
3 hour target
2,583
(previous week 2,531)
Air cargo 2nd submission
2 hour target
316
(previous week 287)
Total
2,899
Sea cargo 1st lodgements
21 hour target
2,732
(previous week 2,845)
Sea cargo 2nd submission
4 hour target
524
(previous week 468)
Total
3,256
Australian queue
Sea cargo 1st lodgements
21 hour target
504
(previous week 445)
Sea cargo 2nd submission
4 hour target
86
(previous week 81)
Air cargo first lodgements
3 hour target
617
(previous week 436)
Air cargo 2nd submission
2 hour target
52
(previous week 49)
Comparative Stats – BMSB Season 2019/2020 and 2020/2021:
An important message from MPI Food Safety
Our colleagues at New Zealand Food Safety would like to advise of changes to billing for food safety border clearances. The following email was sent to all Registered Food Importers on the 1st December 2021. The changes to charges will take effect from the 6th December.
Dear Registered Food Importer,
Over the past 5 years, MPI's food safety border clearance services have been partially subsidised by Crown revenue. This was done to facilitate transition to the new Food Act 2014 regulatory framework and ensure early adopters were not disadvantaged. The transition period has recently ended.
More accurate costs of delivering the food safety border clearance service will soon be billed to importers of High and Increased Regulatory Interest foods. This is to ensure New Zealand Food Safety can maintain effective and efficient services, and importers can continue to import these foods.
This change affects only High Regulatory Interest and Increased Regulatory Interest consignments that require food safety border clearance, 7% of all food consignments. All other foods (93% of food consignments) do not require food safety border clearance and are not affected.
From 6 December, an additional line will be added to each invoice sent for food safety border clearance services. The item will be identified as 'food safety clearance system' and charged at $120 per clearance, under the authority of the Food (Feed & Charges) Regulations 2015.
There is no change to who is charged, hourly rate charged, or how invoicing happens. This change does not affect other border charges, such as the Biosecurity System Entry Levy.
Yours sincerely,
Imported Food Team
New Zealand Food Safety | Haumaru Kai Aotearoa
KEY MESSAGES | FAQs
Changes to billing for food safety border clearance
Why has my bill gone up?
Over the past five years, food safety border clearance services have been partially subsidised by the Crown. New Zealand Food Safety will be recovering more of the true cost from importers for providing these services, so importers can continue to import higher risk foods in to New Zealand. An additional line item is being added to every food safety border clearance bill, to cover the costs of maintaining the food safety border clearance system. This can be identified as ‘food safety clearance system’ and will be an additional $120. Other lines and the hourly rate is unchanged.
Why is this happening now?
The Food Act 2014 established a new legal framework that made businesses responsible for ensuring all food sold in New Zealand is both safe and suitable. Transition to the new law was phased in between 2016 and 2020, with the Government funding the implementation phase so that early adopters weren’t disadvantaged. Transition has now ended.
Does this apply to all food consignments?
No. Only higher risk foods require food safety border clearance from a warranted Food Safety Officer, before a consignment can enter New Zealand. Which foods and how clearance is obtained is specified in the Food Notice – Imported Food. Importers of foods not subject to food safety border clearance - 93% of food consignments - are not charged a food safety border clearance fee for these foods. This is not changing.
Who does this apply to?
The food safety border clearance fee is payable by the operator of a business responsible for each consignment of imported food that requires food safety border clearance. Fees are charges are set out in the Food (Fees & Charges) Regulations 2015. This increase relates only to food safety border clearance. Other charges, such as the Biosecurity System Entry Levy are not affected, as they relate to different services.
What will the money be used for?
All food safety border clearance fee charges go towards processing your clearance. This money cannot be used for other services. The additional money will be used to ensure every food safety border clearance decision is delivered by well trained staff, using up-to-date systems and efficient processes, is monitored and continually refined.
Who can I contact if I have a question?
Email info@mpi.govt.nz or freephone 0800 00 83 33
