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Australia: Keep NZ apples out
Australia
Wednesday 30 January 2008
Comments that the Australian pear industry would be “wiped out” if New Zealand apples were allowed into Australia, according to campaigners, followed the launch of a WTO investigation into Australia's apple import rules.
New Zealand claims that Australia's sanitary regulations on apples are not scientifically justified and violate world trade rules.
But the chairman of Apple and Pear Australia, Darral Ashton, says “with the evidence of fireblight in NZ, it is vital apples are kept out. Once fireblight is established it's never eradicated. That's the case in 49 countries around the world and we don't want to be the 50th," Ashton told AAP. “It kills apple trees and a host of other plants and it can't be cured and if fireblight was brought into Australia, pears would be the first affected as they are more susceptible than any apple, so that would be the first port of call. Then the variety of apples that are most susceptible are the Pink Lady, and then the Gala variety."
New Zealand claims that Australia's sanitary regulations on apples are not scientifically justified and violate world trade rules.
But the chairman of Apple and Pear Australia, Darral Ashton, says “with the evidence of fireblight in NZ, it is vital apples are kept out. Once fireblight is established it's never eradicated. That's the case in 49 countries around the world and we don't want to be the 50th," Ashton told AAP. “It kills apple trees and a host of other plants and it can't be cured and if fireblight was brought into Australia, pears would be the first affected as they are more susceptible than any apple, so that would be the first port of call. Then the variety of apples that are most susceptible are the Pink Lady, and then the Gala variety."
