New Zealand growers are concerned that the Rugby World Cup has been used as an excuse to reduce border protection vital to keeping out pests that threaten their crops.
Industry body HortNZ said that a local TV investigation has found that more than 270,000 people have walked out of NZ airports without their bags being subject to the usual x-ray examination.
HortNZ president Andrew Fenton said: “If we are simply doing this to save 15 minutes for rugby fans, then I really hope they’ve got this right…this could turn out to be a very expensive decision, if one fruit fly halts New Zealand fruit exports all to save visitors a few minutes at the airport.”
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