A report by New Zealand's Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) has raised questions over China's biosecurity protocols, and prompted calls for higher scrutiny of Chinese fresh produce imports to ensure they meet New Zealand standards.
The report by senior MAF advisor Dr Mike Ormsby questions the transparency and accuracy of record keeping in China, Radio New Zealand reported.
According to Dr Ormsby, China's biosecurity systems are structured to ensure all produce passes official checks while failures are not recorded or reported.
The report claimed that in relying on China's protocols, New Zealand had to ensure Chinese packing companies were not trying to hide potential threats from those carrying out the inspections.
The New Zealand Winegrowers organisation has called for MAF officers to inspect the systems in place in China for exported grapes, similar to those that took place when grapes were imported from California.
However MAF plant imports and exports group manager Stephen Butcher said the agency requires Chinese officials to sign a document identifying all requirements, and to assure New Zealand they're being met.
Mr Butcher said it's not yet known when the first shipment of Chinese grapes will arrive in New Zealand.
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