Wine pest response worries industry

New Zealand biosecurity officials are still analysing the risk posed by an American insect, yet Australia has already banned imports of the grapes it affects, worried wine industry lobbyists say.

Wine industries on both sides of the Tasman complained last year that imports of Californian table grapes were exposing them to the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

The vine sickness it carries, Pierce's disease, wiped out much of the Californian grape harvest last year.

The industry here recently warned biosecurity officials that the $2 billion sector and other horticultural industries are threatened by the pest. Biosecurity Australia has banned the grape imports.

But NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry officials believe the risk of the bug arriving is low because of its size (more than 1cm long) and chilled storage of shipments. Imports have been suspended.

The Wine Institute, in response, points out that biosecurity checks and fumigation did not stop live black widow spiders and jumping redback spiders arriving with Californian grapes.

- NZPA