New Zealand’s opposition party has labelled Turners & Growers’ (T&G) campaign against single-desk kiwifruit marketer Zespri as “bordering on national treachery”, and called upon the country’s government to step in.
In a press release sent out Sunday evening local time New Zealand Labour Party agriculture spokesman Damien O’Connor said T&G’s attack on Zespri had significant possible ramifications for New Zealand’s efforts to progress free trade.
He called on the country’s government to tell T&G chairman Tony Gibbs to “pull his head in”.
“`T&G` should fully understand and acknowledge the disastrous consequences of multi-seller marketing of horticultural exports into a tough international marketplace,” Mr O’Connor said.
“John Key and his National Government have to front up, tell Tony Gibbs to pull his head in, and to get on with improving the returns for Enza, not destroying the returns for Zespri.”
The comments reinforce the opposition’s previously-stated support for Zespri. The marketer has also been endorsed by New Zealand’s prime minister John Key.
