Pipfruit growers in the Nelson-Marlborough region have begun the new century with a new voice.
The 'Pipfruit Forum' is an abbreviation of the Pipfruit Growers New Zealand Incorporated Forum or PGNZI Forum and has just been established having had it's first meeting in Wellington on the 28th January 2000. The Forum has taken over from an eight member committee that had been functioning until now.
A regional spokesman for the new Forum, Appleby grower Richard Kempthorne, says the 27 members are to represent the different interest groups within the pipfruit industry.
"This larger group should encompass a greater diversity of opinions within the industry and spread the workload amongst a greater number of people than was possible in the smaller group."
The Forum aims to cover more effectively, grower representation on research and development, market access issues, ongoing development of Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) and organics. As a Government lobby group it will represent interests of growers to the relevant ministers and Government departments and provide for the effective communications of these activities to its members.
The six orchardists representing Nelson are Julian Raine, Richard Kempthorne, Philip Leith, Michael Hoddy, Richard Brown and John Nicholson.
Mr Kempthorne is strongly in favour of single desk marketing and believes, "this is the single most important ingredient of a viable, sustainable pipfruit industry."
"The single desk gives a combined New Zealand presence in the market and if deregulated the inevitable consequence is a proliferation of small exporters who will compete amongst themselves, supplying the various markets at a lower price than another NZ exporter."
"This would mean competing between ourselves at supplying fruit for the lowest return. A dreadful idea for NZ as a country and growers in particular."
In the meantime, the Apple and Pear Export permits committee approved 23 export permits out of 112 applications for 2.7 million cartons, approving the export of 1.28 million cartons of fruit by independent growers.
Currently approved is 565,000 cartons that would go to Britain, 349,000 to Europe, 274,302 to the United States and Canada and 99,300 to the Asia-Pacific market, of which about 730,000 were organic or similar. Decisions on remaining applications will be made within the next six weeks.
