APPLES OUT OF
A total of 20,000 apple plants have
DANGER
Chief executive Alan Pollard
says the incident has been
an important pathway for
the importation of high value
apple material, as the varieties caught
up in the seizure notices are important
contributors to the future growth of
the industry. “It wasn’t that long ago
that we were facing the prospect of
the total destruction of the material,
so to hear that the material is to be
released is very good news,” he says.
An MPI audit of the facility in March
had found that there were incomplete
or inaccurate records associated with
the material, which raised the prospect
of a biosecurity risk. NZAPI, in consultation
with other affected industries,
nurseries and growers, completed
extensive technical analyses to try and
find an alternative solution to destruction.
In addition, a comprehensive
independent economic analysis identified
that the total destruction of all material
would have led to losses to the
pipfruit and summer fruit industries in
excess of $1 billion. “We take biosecurity
very seriously and throughout
this process have focused on how we
can have confidence in the integrity of
the imported material while mitigating
this risk,” Pollard says. “There is still a
lot of work to do to ensure that there
is no repeat of this situation in the
future, and we are looking forward to
working with MPI on reviewing and
improving the plant import pathway.”
The New Zealand apple and pear
industry expects export returns to be
almost $800m in 2018 and is targeting
$1billion in export returns by 2022.
Biosecurity New Zealand is working
with Potatoes New Zealand to respond
to a detection of Potato mop-top
virus (PMTV) in potato tubers in
Canterbury. While not a food safety
issue, the virus could cause some productivity
issues for growers, incident
controller David Yard says, and is both
a notifiable and unwanted organism
in New Zealand under the Biosecurity
Act. Potato tubers from two properties
in the Canterbury region have
tested positive for the virus – the first
time the virus has been found in New
Zealand. Potatoes New Zealand chief
executive Chris Claridge says the affected
potatoes are from the Innovator
variety, which are only used for potato
chips. “The industry is working closely
with Biosecurity New Zealand to learn
more about the virus, the impact it
could have on growers, and to stop
any risk of spread,” Claridge says.
“We will then consider if it is possible
to eradicate it, or whether we will
need to work with growers to manage
its impact over the long term.” The
Innovator variety of potato was last
imported as germplasm into New Zealand
in July 2011. Affected potatoes
can display symptoms including distortions
to the skin, deep cracking, and
rust-coloured arcs, streaks or flecks
in the tuber flesh. Biosecurity New
Zealand is investigating how the virus
may have entered the country.
been cleared for release from all
restrictions imposed following
their seizure after being imported
from a US testing facility…and
New Zealand Apples & Pears
Incorporated is thrilled.
POTATOES UNDER
SPOTLIGHT
34 NOVEMBER 2018