Export crop pest found in Nelson

Tag : How to Grow Hothouse Tomatoes

A bug that has led to a ban on tomato and capsicum exports has beenfound in Nelson and Canterbury, says Horticulture New Zealand.
MAF Biosecurity suspended the exports last month after thediscovery of a bacterium in three Auckland commercial hothouseoperations. It is believed to be transmitted by a small insectcalled tomato potato psyllid.
Biosecurity NZ has been surveying glasshouse sites throughout thecountry.
Horticulture NZ senior business manager Ken Robertson said theinsect had been found in Nelson and Canterbury. The bacterium wasprobably also there but the organisation was still waiting for testresults.
Mr Robertson said the psyllid could be controlled with insecticide,in a similar way to controlling thrips and whitefly.
Growers are becoming impatient over the time it is taking tonegotiate the lifting of the export ban with key market countries.
Mr Robertson said the ban was officially lifted last Thursday butAustralia, Japan, French Polynesia, Fiji and the United Statesstill had restrictions in place.
The diplomatic process seemed to take an inordinate amount of time,he said.
Growers needed to make decisions now to get crops planted for thespring and summer seasons, he said. It could cost $100,000 ahectare to grow crops.
"They would like to know as soon as possible."
While Australia has imposed its own ban on tomato and capsicumimports, it is exporting cheap tomatoes to New Zealand.
Mr Robertson said Queensland growers had a good crop this year anda lot of product was coming into New Zealand relatively cheaply.
Some retailers would not differentiate between New Zealand andAustralian product, and some were stocking only the Australianproduct, so consumers did not get a choice, he said.
"That's disappointing, and shows some of our retailers do notsupport local industry."
If the export ban was not lifted in time for the peak supplyseason, it would be financially devastating, with the loss of $45million worth of tomato and capsicum exports, Mr Robertson said.
The loss of jobs would also have a ripple-down effect, he said.
Biosecurity NZ scientists are investigating how the bacterium istransmitted. The results will help to determine what actionsgrowers can take to protect their crops.