PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 4:07 PM by Luigi

NZ import laws hitting Pacific taro farmers

From TVNZ: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/568240?format=html

May 25, 2005

Red tape at the New Zealand border has sent the Pacific's taro industry into a nosedive after agriculture officials decided to apply the letter of the law to fresh produce. Importers are crying foul fearing other products will also be affected, bringing international trade in the region to a virtual stop.

The problem starts at New Zealand's borders where taro is a prime target for tougher environmental risk laws. Taro has been so badly affected because its a root crop dug up from the ground where bugs and organisms are found, opposed to a smooth fruit like Mango.

The product is also home to a harmless mite called nimotoad but because its a foreign bug its subject to strict quarantine rules every time its found on taro. Peter Kettle from MAF says the mite doesn't appear to pose any sort of threat to New Zealand but they dont have all of the information on it to be absolutely certain.

"But the key is, it is against the law to knowingly introduce a new organism," says Kettle. It is costing importers money to get the organism identified and fumigated every time it is found. Alistair Petrie from Turners and Growers says the law has doubled to quadrupled the cost of importing taro and has created huge time delays which causes product deterioration.

Petrie says that if it is spread across the range of products that they import, in theory they would have to ban all trade.

Importers fear that if the law isn't changed it won't just be taro that will be affected by the law. Farmers in the Pacific are getting hit the hardest - where they used to get $60 for a bag of taro, they now get around $40. Kevin Nalder from the Importers Association says island trade is important to Fiji and other Pacific countries and any costs tend to show up quite heavily.

Moves are now underway to simplify the laws, but until that happens the cost of meeting those regulations are being paid for by those who can least afford it.



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DIVA-GIS	Wednesday, May 25, 2005 Posted 4:07 PM by Luigi NZ import laws hitting Pacific taro farmers From TVNZ: http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/568240?format=html May 25, 2005 Red tape at the New Zealand border has sent the Pacific's taro industry into a nosedive after agriculture officials decided to apply the letter of the law to fresh produce. Importers are crying foul fearing other products will also be affected, bringing international trade in the region to a virtual stop. The problem starts at New Zealand's borders where taro is a prime target for tougher environmental risk laws. Taro has been so badly affected because its a root crop dug up from the ground where bugs and organisms are found, opposed to a smooth fruit like Mango. The product is also home to a harmless mite called nimotoad but because its a foreign bug its subject to strict quarantine rules every time its found on taro. Peter Kettle from MAF says the mite doesn't appear to pose any sort of threat to New Zealand but they dont have all of the information on it to be absolutely certain. "But the key is, it is against the law to knowingly introduce a new organism," says Kettle. It is costing importers money to get the organism identified and fumigated every time it is found. Alistair Petrie from Turners and Growers says the law has doubled to quadrupled the cost of importing taro and has created huge time delays which causes product deterioration. Petrie says that if it is spread across the range of products that they import, in theory they would have to ban all trade. Importers fear that if the law isn't changed it won't just be taro that will be affected by the law. Farmers in the Pacific are getting hit the hardest - where they used to get $60 for a bag of taro, they now get around $40. Kevin Nalder from the Importers Association says island trade is important to Fiji and other Pacific countries and any costs tend to show up quite heavily. Moves are now underway to simplify the laws, but until that happens the cost of meeting those regulations are being paid for by those who can least afford it. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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