HortNZ CEO, Mike Chapman, says that pests simply cannot be allowed to enter the country given how dependent New Zealand’s economy is on the primary sector. As such, it’s good news to find out that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has banned the shipment from entering New Zealand.

The palm kernel expeller, which is used as a supplementary animal feed, hadn’t come from an approved facility and so, in the end, there was no way to satisfy MPI that there was no risk of pests and disease entering the country.

Although it took six weeks, Chapman believes that this was the right decision. He suggested that while it will leave an angry importer, NZ’s borders need to be protected and the country need to send the clear message that they are.

Chapman says that biosecurity is the number one concern the industry body’s growers most worry about. A serious incursion has the potential to wipe out not just individual businesses, but entire crops, and HortNZ works closely with MPI on biosecurity matters to ensure the safest possible outcomes.

He added, “Not only that, but we are now in the season when we need to be most alert; keep your eyes open and if you see anything suspicious catch it, snap it (get a photograph), and report it to the exotic pest and disease hotline at 0800 80 99 66.”

Source: HortNZ