Watermelon growers in Tonga have called on the government to help pay for their watermelons which are being held in New Zealand after fruit fly larvae were found.
Some growers told Kaniva News they were paid 50 percent of the price for the melons in Tonga and were told the other 50 percent would be paid after the melons were cleared in New Zealand for the buyers.
Jerry Prendergast from United Fresh, which represents the New Zealand produce industry, told RNZ the suspension of imports would devastate Tongan growers. He estimated the value of the outstanding imports at about $1.6-2 million.
The fruit fly is seen as a threat to the New Zealand industry. When an example of the Tongan fruit fly was found in the Auckland suburb of Otara last year, the then Minister for Biosecurity Damien O’Connorgove described it as “a pest that could significantly harm our $5.5 billion horticulture sector.”
Kaniva has contacted the Minister of MAFF for comment on the current crisis.
The New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries has supported Tonga’s audit team in trying to find out what has caused the infestation. The audit team includes the retired head of Tonga’s quarantine service and entomologist, Sione Foliaki.
Foliaki said they were working to find out what had caused the presence of the insect larvae.
“It could take a few weeks or several months or several years before New Zealand could accept a new proposal to allow the importation of the melons,” Foliaki told Kaniva News.
He said the lack of documentation had held back the investigation process.
Their investigation was intended to find out where the infestation happened, whether it was in the field, after the treatment process, whether it happened during inspection or during the storage process.
“It will go all the way to New Zealand, but remember New Zealand has already done its part and found the infestation at their boarder,” Foliaki said.
“We have to look at the whole process and pathways, on the fields, MAFF’s extension services and what approval were made and to check with the spray diary.”
Foliaki said whoever caused the problem, MAFF was responsible.
Foliaki said the same issue happened in 1995 and he was the one who negotiated with New Zealand. It took about a year before New Zealand agreed to restore the importation after Tonga agreed to a certain conditions including rebuilding of fumigation centre.
“The main issue here included Tonga breaching the bilateral and agreement of arrangement,” he said.
Shortage
Prendergast said intense harvesting of New Zealand watermelons would not happen until January.
Watermelon imports from Queensland had yet to resume following the detection of cucumber green mottled mosaic virus.
This meant consumers could be unable to buy the fruit for several months.
