Travellers from Indonesia will no longer be allowed to bring personal consignments of any meat products into the country, Biosecurity New Zealand says.
The ban takes effect today. Photo:
It comes after viral fragments of the foot and mouth disease were found on an imported pork product in Australia. Officials have stressed the viral fragments are not infectious and can't transfer live virus to an animal
Concern has been growing in Australia after the livestock disease was discovered in Indonesia in May.
Anyone arriving in the country from Indonesia must now wash their shoes with disinfecting mats.
From today, any meat products from Indonesia, including cooked meat products, will not be allowed through the border.
Biosecurity NZ's deputy director general Stuart Anderson said all confiscated meat products will be destroyed.
"While Indonesia continues to step up its FMD response, we are taking an extra precaution and stopping travellers from bringing in personal consignments of any meat product," he said.
"Previously travellers from Indonesia could bring in declared cooked or treated meat, with the highest risk uncooked meat products already prohibited. Given the importance of protecting our vital primary sector, this is a good further step to take for now."
The rule change does not affect commercial products, which already face strict import standards.
"Biosecurity New Zealand is committed to reviewing biosecurity settings where required and we've taken several steps in recent weeks to boost our protections," Anderson said.
Measures included:
- Stepping up checks at airports
- Introducing disinfectant mats for people returning from Indonesia to clean their footwear
- An awareness campaign targeting travellers
- An on-the-ground audit of the palm kernel supply chain in Indonesia
- The establishment of an FMD readiness taskforce
- Providing personal protective equipment, disinfectant, backpack sprayers and other tools to Indonesia to help on the ground, as well as technical expertise
New Zealand is helping Indonesia with practical measures to help bring its foot and mouth outbreak under control. Photo: SURYA FACHRIZAL APRIANUS
"Although the risk of the recent outbreak in Indonesia to New Zealand remains low, we remain on high alert," Anderson said.
New Zealand's biosecurity system had the most stringent requirements in the world aimed at preventing FMD, but it was important to keep reassessing protections, he added.