The United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended all imports of New Zealand
flowers and foliage due to an interception of light brown
apple moths on a shipment.
Greg Keymer, a spokesman for the New Zealand Flower Exporters
Association (NZFEA), told Hawke's Bay Today that the moth
was found on forsythia and other flowers grown outdoors
in the South Island.
NZFEA members account for approximately 95% of the nation's
floriculture exports to Europe and Asia, as well as Japan.
Keymer, who is also managing director of flower exporting
company Eastern and Global Ltd, said the timing was unfortunate
with the orchid season peaking and the paeony season about
to start next month. The US is the biggest market for New
Zealand paeonies.
"The trade with the States is 30% of export trade in
cut flowers," he said. "It's 30% of value, but
70% of importance."
The US market had been resilient despite the recession and
had underpinned the export industry for the past five to
eight years.
"It's a major setback," he said.
Major work would need to be done before the US would consider
again accepting NZ flowers, and crops grown outdoors will
need a big risk management programme, with properties nationwide
inspected and registered.
Californian authorities are spending millions of dollars
trying to eradicate the pest moth, which was originally
Australian but had naturalised in NZ
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