Pea ban to continue in Wairarapa to eradicate weevil

Home-grown peas will not be on the Christmas dinner menu this year.

Extending the ban on growing peas in the Wairarapa for at least a further 12 months offers the best chance of ensuring pea weevil has been eradicated in the district, Wairarapa Federated Farmers Arable Chairperson Karen Williams says.

"After the 12 months we can then review whether a continued total ban, partial restrictions or other measures will be the best option going forward, based on what the trap crops show us."

Karen Williams.

The Pea Weevil Governance Group told Wairarapa growers at a meeting in Masterton on Tuesday the ban would continue. Karen said while the growers had lots of questions, the decision to continue the ban was probably expected because pea weevil had been found this past growing season.

'The ban continuation announcement at least gives growers some certainty around making plans for the coming season.'

— Karen Williams, Wairarapa Federated Farmers Arable Chair

"This announcement at least gives growers some certainty around making plans for the coming season."

The growing ban was initiated in July 2016 after pea weevil was found in a Masterton seed store. Nationwide surveys over the past two seasons have not found the weevil anywhere else in New Zealand. Trap crops in the Wairarapa caught 1735 weevils in the first year of the ban across 11 different sites, and only 15 in year two on two sites.