Kerikeri man John Levers says he feels vindicated by a proposal to ban the kiwifruit spray Hi-Cane but there's still no cause for celebration. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Kerikeri man John Levers says he feels vindicated by a proposal to ban the kiwifruit spray Hi-Cane but there's still no cause for celebration. Photo / Peter de Graaf
A controversial spray widely used on Northland kiwifruit orchards could be banned within five years.
Hydrogen cyanamide, the active ingredient in products such as Hi-Cane, is sprayed on kiwifruit vines in winter to help buds form, ensuring a large crop of fruit that ripens around the same time. In colderclimates winter frosts do the same job.
Growers say the kiwifruit industry, which has become a major employer and export earner, isn't viable in Northland without it — but the spray's opponents say it's a health hazard and should be banned.
Kerikeri man John Levers, a lodge owner and former mayoral candidate, has been lobbying for a ban for the past three years.
He said he started his campaign after his dogs became ill and he found dead ducks and eels shortly after the spray was used on a nearby orchard on a windy day.
Now the country's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) seems to agree with him.
Chris Hill, general manager of the EPA's hazardous substances group, said hydrogen cyanamide had been banned in Europe and its use was under review in the US.
''While we accept there are economic benefits from hydrogen cyanamide use, new information suggests these are outweighed by the environmental risks and adverse health effects,'' he said.
As part of its reassessment of the substance, the EPA was recommending a gradual phase-out leading to a total ban in five years.
That would allow existing stock to be used up as well as giving growers time to introduce and get familiar with alternatives.
The EPA was also proposing that hydrogen cyanamide be reclassified as a suspected carcinogen with an updated warning that it was corrosive to the skin and eyes.
Repeated exposure, for example to people working with the spray, was also toxic to the reproductive system and thyroid, Hill said.
The group's final recommendations would take public submissions into account. Consultation was open until November 26.
Levers said the EPA's proposal vindicated his concerns but was no cause for celebration.
A five-year phase-out was too long given some orchardists ignored the rules requiring spray buffer zones and shelter belts or sprayed on windy days, he said.
If the rules were adhered to there wouldn't have been a problem.
''So there's no celebration. We haven't won Lotto, we've just hopefully got rid of something poisonous. Hi-Cane is just one of many,'' he said.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Colin Bond says Northland orchards could be uneconomic without Hi-Cane. Photo / supplied
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Colin Bond said the group acknowledged the concerns raised by the EPA and would take time to work through the report and seek independent advice.
Many kiwifruit orchards, in particular in warmer areas such as Northland, could be uneconomic without hydrogen cyanamide.
"The removal of Hi-Cane in northern regions could have a severe impact on kiwifruit production and reduce yields to uneconomic levels for growers, particularly affecting green growers. The industry is continuing to search for alternative products," he said.
The kiwifruit industry contributed $91 million a year to the Northland economy with 172 orchards totalling 713ha, mostly planted in the Sungold variety.
Bond said Hi-Cane was used only once a year under strict conditions including PPE for applicators and drift-reducing technology.
Growers could face suspension or legal action if they didn't meet those conditions.
There was no fruit on the vines when Hi-Cane was applied.
Bond said the recommendations were draft only and still open to public consultation.
The EPA decided in September 2019 that grounds existed to reassess hydrogen cyanamide after significant new information on hazards and risks emerged in a report from the European Food Safety Authority.
Hydrogen cyanamide has been used in New Zealand since 1988. It is an ingredient in Hi-Cane, Treestart, Hortcare Hi-break, Synergy HC, Gro-Chem HC-50 and Cyan.
