Pipfruit New Zealand, the country's national apple and pear association, has expressed 'satisfaction' at the final written submission filed to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) regarding its long-running apple access case against Australia.
The case hinges on whether Australia, which had granted access to New Zealand apples following an eight-year risk analysis but only under conditions deemed 'impossible' by New Zealand authorities, has drawn 'rational conclusions' in relation to the science available to it and applied appropriate importation methods as a result.
'The final submission is a key document in the WTO process,' saidPipfruit New Zealand CEO Peter Beaven. 'It summarises all of thereasons why Australia has not met its WTO obligations in dealing withthe apple access application.
'The New Zealand pipfruit industry looks forward to the final oralhearing in early July and expects the science to at last prevail inthe WTO panel's decision towards the end of this year,' he added.
Biosecurity Australia underwent the lengthy risk analysis amid concerns of the transfer of diseases such as Fireblight, European Canker and Apple Leaf Curling Midge from New Zealand.
However, New Zealand felt that the process was 'heavily intertwined' with political interference and alterations, and subsequently began WTO proceedings in 2007.'
“It is an irony for my industry that in 2009 we should be celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the first shipment of apples from New Zealand to Australia,' Mr Beaven stated. 'Instead we are locked in this unnecessary and burdensome fight with our neighbours. The apple access issue has soured trans-Tasman relationships for too long.
'From our perspective, it is the Australian consumer who is missing out. They are being denied choice and paying too much for poor quality apples while an inefficient industry is protected,' he added. 'For an agriculture based economy like Australia to allow their biosecurity process to be hijacked like this when their own primary exporters rely on reasonable access to other markets is not good enough.'
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