Australian apple growers are to appeal a recent decision to allow New Zealand apples into the Australian market.

The move was given the go ahead by Biosecurity Australia - a body providing science-based quarantine assessments and policy advice to protect Australia’s pest and disease status - in November last year.

NZ apple imports have been banned since 1921 over concerns that they could spread the disease fireblight.

According to reports, the industry body Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) is to lodge an appeal against the decision this week (Friday), and an independent panel set up by the Australian government will have 45 days to review it.

The APAL chairman said that a mistake had been made in assessing the risk from New Zealand apples, including the threat from fireblight and European canker.

Pipfruit New Zealand said it expected Australian growers to appeal, and warned it might also lodge an appeal against the Biosecurity decision, which it says is too stringent.

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