Country Guide
Exporting from New Zealand to Brazil
322 MAPA-authorized establishments, Fonterra dairy leadership, premium grass-fed meat, and sustainable seafood for Brazil's growing market.
Updated May 2026
New Zealand is a food powerhouse, and Brazil is both a competitor and a customer. With 322 establishments authorized by MAPA/DIPOA — covering dairy (569 registrations), meat (137), fisheries (775), and cold storage (621) — New Zealand has one of the broadest market access portfolios for animal products in Brazil. Fonterra alone supplies significant volumes of milk powder and dairy ingredients to Brazilian food manufacturers.
No preferential trade agreement
New Zealand has no FTA with Brazil or Mercosur. All products pay full MFN (Most Favored Nation) tariff rates. Meanwhile, EU competitors get EU-Mercosur preferences and Australia may benefit from future agreements. New Zealand's competitive edge is quality, sustainability credentials, and established MAPA authorizations.
Essential terms
?What is an NCM code?
NCM (Nomenclatura Comum do Mercosul) is Brazil's 8-digit tariff classification code. The first 6 digits match the international HS (Harmonized System) code — the remaining 2 are Mercosur-specific. Every import tax rate in Brazil is determined by the NCM code.
HS → NCM lookup tool?What is a CNPJ?
CNPJ (Cadastro Nacional da Pessoa Jurídica) is Brazil's national business registry number — equivalent to an EIN (US), Company Number (UK), or Handelsregisternummer (Germany). Every company that imports into Brazil must have a CNPJ.
CNPJ registration guide?What is RADAR?
RADAR (Registro e Rastreamento da Atuação dos Intervenientes Aduaneiros) is Receita Federal's mandatory import/export authorization. Your Brazilian buyer needs active RADAR before any goods can clear customs. It comes in three modalities with different value limits.
RADAR & customs clearance guideTrade Data: New Zealand → Brazil
Source: UN Comtrade 2023Brazil reports 10.4% more imports from New Zealand than New Zealand reports in exports. This CIF/FOB spread is typical — Brazil values at CIF (including freight & insurance), while New Zealand values at FOB (port of departure). Large gaps can also indicate re-exports through third countries.
Top New Zealand exports to Brazil by value
2023 FOB values in USD| # | Product | 2023 Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3002.42Vaccines, toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excluding yeasts) and similar pro... | $19.3M | Duties → |
| 2 | 3501.10Casein | $8.8M | Duties → |
| 3 | 0404.90Dairy produce; natural milk constituents (excluding whey), whether or not contai... | $8.8M | Duties → |
| 4 | 0810.50Fruit, edible; kiwifruit, fresh | $6.6M | Duties → |
| 5 | 8517.14Telephone sets; other than smartphones, for cellular or other wireless networks | $5.8M | Duties → |
| 6 | 0304.89Fish fillets; frozen, of fish n.e.c. in heading 0304.8 | $4.3M | Duties → |
| 7 | 1702.11Sugars; lactose and lactose syrup, containing by weight 99% or more lactose, exp... | $4.1M | Duties → |
| 8 | 0405.90Dairy produce; fats and oils derived from milk (other than butter or dairy sprea... | $3.7M | Duties → |
| 9 | 3004.90Medicaments; consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004,... | $1.7M | Duties → |
| 10 | 9019.20Therapeutic respiration apparatus; ozone, oxygen, aerosol therapy apparatus; art... | $1.5M | Duties → |
| 11 | 8434.90Milking machines and dairy machinery; parts thereof | $1.3M | Duties → |
| 12 | 8422.40Machinery; for packing or wrapping | $909K | Duties → |
| 13 | 4810.92Paper and paperboard; multi-ply, coated with kaolin or other inorganic substance... | $693K | Duties → |
| 14 | 8422.30Machinery; for filling, closing, sealing, capsuling or labelling bottles, cans, ... | $598K | Duties → |
| 15 | 2501.00Salt (including table salt and denatured salt); pure sodium chloride whether or ... | $584K | Duties → |
| 16 | 3006.10Pharmaceutical goods; sterile surgical catgut, suture materials, tissue adhesive... | $477K | Duties → |
| 17 | 8429.51Front-end shovel loaders | $441K | Duties → |
| 18 | 8536.30Electrical apparatus; for protecting electrical circuits, n.e.c. in heading no. ... | $350K | Duties → |
| 19 | 8535.30Electrical apparatus; isolating and make-and-break switches, for a voltage excee... | $307K | Duties → |
| 20 | 8517.79Communication apparatus; parts, other than aerials and aerial reflectors of all ... | $298K | Duties → |
Values in USD, FOB (New Zealand port of departure). Trend compares 2023 vs 2022. Click any HS code for Brazil duty rates and Ex-Tarifário status.
Key product categories and tariff strategy
| Product | Import duty | Trade agreement | Regulation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy products Milk powder, butter, cheese, whey (Fonterra) | 14-28% | Full MFN | MAPA/DIPOA | View HS 04 → |
| Meat Lamb, mutton, beef (grass-fed) | 10-16% | Full MFN | MAPA/DIPOA | View HS 02 → |
| Fish & seafood Hoki, orange roughy, mussels, squid | 10% | Full MFN | MAPA/DIPOA | View HS 03 → |
| Casein & albuminoids Casein, caseinates (dairy derivatives) | 12-14% | Full MFN | — | View HS 35 → |
| Wool Greasy wool, combed wool, tops | 6-10% | Full MFN | — | View HS 51 → |
| Wood products Pine lumber, plywood (radiata pine) | 8-12% | Full MFN | IBAMA | View HS 44 → |
Dairy: Fonterra and beyond
New Zealand is the world's largest dairy exporter, and Brazil is a significant customer — especially for industrial ingredients:
- Fonterra: global dairy leader, supplying milk powder, butter, cheese ingredients, and casein to Brazilian food manufacturers (Nestlé, Lactalis, Arcor operations in Brazil).
- Whole milk powder (WMP) and skim milk powder (SMP): key industrial inputs. Brazil imports when domestic production falls short — drought, seasonal gaps.
- Casein and caseinates (HS 35): specialty proteins for food processing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications.
- 569 MAPA registrations in dairy alone, indicating deep regulatory acceptance.
Meat: grass-fed premium
New Zealand lamb and beef are positioned as premium grass-fed products:
- Lamb and mutton: Brazil produces very little sheep meat — New Zealand fills this niche for high-end restaurants and retailers.
- Beef: grass-fed, hormone-free positioning differentiates from Brazil's own massive beef industry.
- Gelatin and collagen (HS 35): NZ has specific authorizations for these products.
Seafood: southern Pacific quality
With 775 fisheries registrations, New Zealand seafood has deep market access:
- Hoki: NZ's largest fishery, MSC-certified sustainable
- Green-lipped mussels: both for food and nutritional supplements (joint health)
- Squid, orange roughy, tuna: various wild-caught species
MAPA-authorized establishments
Source: SIGSIF/DIPOA322 New Zealand facilities are authorized by Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture to export animal products.
Regulatory requirements
- MAPA/DIPOA — all animal products. NZ has 322 authorized establishments — one of the highest counts globally.
- MPI (NZ Ministry for Primary Industries) — issues export health certificates required by Brazil.
- IBAMA — wood products (radiata pine) require environmental compliance.
Practical next steps
- Find your product's NCM code
- Verify your establishment's MAPA/DIPOA authorization status via SIGSIF
- Calculate the full landed cost — all 7 Brazilian taxes included
- Contact NZTE (New Zealand Trade and Enterprise) office in São Paulo