China and New Zealand have this morning formally signed the apple import protocol under operation for the past year.
The protocol was one of five agreements signed off on this morning in Wellington by the Chinese ambassador Xu Jianguo and Carol Barnao, the deputy director-general of standards at the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).
China’s Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister Bill English witnessed the signing.
Today’s signing gives added certainty to the protocol under which New Zealand exporters have been sending fruit to China for the past year, Pipfruit New Zealand CEO Peter Beaven confirmed for Fruitnet.com today.
“The protocol on New Zealand’s apple exports into China clarifies pest management conditions and will give greater certainty for New Zealand apple exporters,” said Mr English.
The protocol includes provisions for a joint investigation if a quarantine pest is detected, rather than an immediate block on access, as was the case with the previous iteration of the protocol.
Orchards hoping to export fruit to China must be registered with MAF prior to the start of the season under the protocol, and must apply New Zealand Good Agriculture Practices (NZGAP) and Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) systems, MAF detailed in a statement.
MAF said it expected the newly-confirmed protocol would support the growth of New Zealand apple exports to the Chinese market.
Mr English and Mr Liangyu will hold bilateral talks later today, the office of the deputy prime minister announced.
