New Zealand blueberry growers sound biosecurity alarm over proposed imports
New Zealand’s domestic blueberry industry is raising serious biosecurity concerns. Newly proposed regulations would open the market to fresh blueberry imports from Chile, Peru, Mexico, Morocco, and the United States, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported.
The industry pushback follows the conclusion of a public consultation process for new Import Health Standards (IHS) drafted by Biosecurity New Zealand. Blueberries New Zealand, the organization representing local growers, warned that the current proposal could increase the risk of introducing high-impact pests and diseases into the country.
The draft standard would allow foreign exporters to harvest fruit that may have come into contact with the soil and clean it prior to shipment—a practice that Biosecurity New Zealand prohibits for domestic producers.
Concerns include the fruit fly species spotted wing drosophila, and the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which infects water-transporting tissue and causes nutrient blockages that lead to leaf scorching, wilting, and eventually plant death.
Biosecurity debate
Industry body chairperson Trudy O’Halloran warned of the potential economic fallout if a new pest or disease breaches the border, noting that the impact would damage the entire horticultural sector rather than just the blueberry industry.
She urged the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to establish a working group with the industry and the Institute of Bioeconomy Science to re-evaluate the proposal.
On the other side of the debate, MPI Director of Biosecurity Import and Export Standards Lisa Winthrop stated that officials conducted a thorough risk assessment in accordance with international best practices.
Winthrop added that the agency will evaluate all received submissions before finalizing the import health standard.
Source: Freshfruitportal.com
