Submitter: Horticulture New Zealand Incorporated

Submitter: Horticulture New Zealand Incorporated

13 March 2017

SUBMISSION ONTHE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO IHS 155.02.05 (SEEDS FOR SOWING) AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PEA SEED IMPORTS

Submitter: Horticulture New Zealand Incorporated

Submitted by: Richard Palmer, Biosecurity and Trade Policy Manager

Contact Details: PO Box 10232, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, New Zealand

T: +64 4 472 3795

E:

References:

A.Risk Management Proposal: Proposed amendment to the IHS 155.02.05: Seeds for sowing and requirements for the importation of Pisum seeds for sowing , 13 February 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  1. Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) represents the interests of New Zealand’s 5,500 commercial fruit and vegetable growers. The horticulture industry is valued at over $5billion including $3.3billion in exports.
  2. The industry employs over 60,000 people, occupies some 120,000 ha of land and provides critical regional development opportunities in Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, and Central Otago.
  3. Biosecurity supports production, secures market access, and provides confidence for investment – all key to the horticulture industry continuing to strive for achieving the Government’s ‘Export Double’ goal, and the industry vision of $10billion by 2020.
  4. Horticulture New Zealand:
  • Supports improvements to the Seed for Sowing IHS to managethe risk frompea weevil (Bruchuspisorum)
  • Supports the ‘Summary of Risk’conclusions drawn from the RMP to support the measures in the IHS

PROPOSED MEASURES

  1. As noted in Ref A the production of peas in New Zealand is significant, at over $110 million dollars. The current pea weevil incursion in the Wairarapa amply demonstrates the risk of pea weevil entering and establishing in New Zealand. The economic impacts from this pest are likely to be significant.
  2. HortNZ agrees with the conclusion that the pea weevil soak test may not detect infestations below 0.1%, with the consignment therefore still presenting a risk of pea weevil introduction, establishment and spread. Therefore the intent to require mandatory fumigation is supported.
  3. Given the relatively basic measures that can be taken to mitigate this risk, and the potential cost if not managed, the acceptance into the IHS of the proposed treatments is supported.
  4. There appears to be some uncertainty about the specific timeframe for phosphine treatment, and relative efficacy on pea weevil. It is unclear how extensive and robust the research by Waterford and Winks 1994 was (Ref A, para 50(iii). The conclusion from research by Williams and Whittle was efficacy of phosphine at 1.5g/m3 when treated for 21 days at over 20°C – quite significantly higher temperature and time than proposed.
  5. Whilst the IHS proposal is for longer treatment times, HortNZ seeks discussion with MPI regarding the determination of 12-14 days as minimum treatment times.
  6. HortNZ notes that relative temperature, humidity, commodity moisture levels and gas-tightness of the building/container will influence the effectiveness of the treatment (EPPO, 2012), and we seek a discussion with MPI as to verification of offshore treatment efficacy.

CONCLUSION

  1. HortNZ supports, in principle, the proposed changes IHS, and welcomes discussion with MPI in relation to the mattersraised.

ENDS

Horticulture New Zealand’s submission on the pea seed amendments to IHS 155.02.05

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