Door prised open for New Zealand apples

Press, 29 October 1977, Page 13

Door prised open for New Zealand apples

PA Nelson The door to the Japanese market has been prised open a little for New Zealand apples. It now needed a firm push to open it far enough to gain access, said the leader of the New Zealand delegation, Mr J. Mowbray, at the JapanNew Zealand businessmen’s conference at Nelson He is optimistic about the prospects of success in this respect, especially as the Japanese businessmen gave an assurance at last year’s conference that they would support the New Zealand case for entry. “The door is a little open and we just have to see if we can force it a little further,” Mr Mowbray said. “New Zealand had to support its case in greater depth and it still virtually has to do that.” The situation is that Japan-

ese regulations continue to prohibit the entry of New Zealand apples on the ground that there is still a problem with the insect, codling moth. For its part, New Zealand acknowledges the existence of the pest in this country, but has repeatedly asserted that it is rarely seen in export fruit and that, subject to certain precautions, shipments of apples to Japan could be guaranteed free of codling moth. The Ministry’ of Agriculture in conjunction with the Apple and Pear Marketing Board (the statutory marketing board and sole export authority) has now completed a non-technical or semitechnical case covering New Zealand’s apple industry, including details of this country’s plant-protection, advisory, and inspection services.

Additionally, a separate paper has been completed

covering special measures which could be instituted to assist in gaining entry to the Japanese market. These two papers will form the basis of the approach to the Japanese Government by the New Zealand Government representatives early next year.