GE bad news for exports says kiwifruit marketer

New Zealand should stay free of genetically altered food, kiwifruit export company Zespri International told the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification yesterday.

Zespri said it had marketing evidence that the perception of New Zealand food's genetically engineered status would influence the buying behaviour of consumers of all New Zealand products.

"Adverse consumer opinion caused by the perception of New Zealand as an exporter of GE foods could jeopardise a significant portion of the kiwifruit industry's contribution to the national economy."

Zespri also said evidence showed that consumer and retailer distrust and avoidance of engineered food was increasing.

British supermarket chains Sainsburys, Tescos and Safeways now gave guarantees that there were no GE foods in their stores.

Retailers were very sensitive to consumer opinion, and once a product was removed from shelves it could take years to get back.

Zespri said New Zealand should maintain its GE-free status for commercial food production until uncertainties about the technology and its acceptance were better resolved.

But Zespri did not oppose genetic research in the laboratory, or its use as a research tool in conventional production.

Asked by Life Sciences Network spokesman Chris Hodson, QC, if rejection of the technology could place Zespri at a competitive disadvantage, chief executive officer Tony Marks said that was not necessarily the case.

"[Other companies] may make advances, but traditionally New Zealand has succeeded in leading the industry across a wide range of innovations."

Zespri general manager Nigel Banks said more and more evidence would probably arise showing the technology to be safe. But with New Zealand exports vulnerable to overseas perceptions, that research should be done overseas.

"Hopefully everything will be fine - at that point New Zealand may be able to relax a little."

In an earlier submission, the New Zealand Worm Federation aired concerns about the effect of genetically engineered crop residues on the soil and on worms.

It called on the Government to spend as much money on organic agricultural research as on GE research.

- NZPA

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