Fruit growers seek WTO hearing

Angry pipfruit growers are banding together in a bid to get the Government to take a case against Australia to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

About 25 growers from the Nelson region last night unanimously supported the newly formed Australian Access Action Group and decided to form their own branch.

The group was established by Hawke's Bay orchardists concerned over Australia's delaying tactics preventing market access for New Zealand apples and pears.

Australia has denied access to the fruit because of the bacterial disease fireblight which it says is not present there. The issue has been subject to a protracted process of risk assessment that New Zealand pipfruit growers believe has been deliberately stalled by the Australians.

The latest trigger for action was an announcement by Biosecurity Australia in February that there would be further delay in releasing the long-awaited new draft risk assessment report.

Mariri orchardist Richard Easton lined up with action group members Rupert Ryan and John Bostock to stress the importance of pushing the political bandwagon.

He said growers needed to make it an election issue this year.

He accused the Australians of "underarm" tactics and said that while the risk assessment process might eventually gain access for New Zealand, the protocols would probably still make it limited.

His comments were backed up by Pipfruit New Zealand chairman Ian Palmer.

"It's the number one item on the Pipfruit New Zealand agenda. It's a matter of when, not if, we get access, but the question is whether it will be meaningful or not. We need political involvement to stop the delaying tactics."

Mr Palmer said Australia was now due to release its new draft risk assessment in June or July but he too believed going to the WTO was the only solution.

- nzpa