Government to seek access to NZ market for more products
Government plans to seek permission to export three locally grown products to New Zealand.
They are the Tahitian Lime, the Poblano Chili (bell shaped) and the Breadfruit. If permission is granted, it would bring to 12 the number of products we can export to NZ.
Anthony Brown Secretary for Agriculture informed the Herald on Tuesday morning of the plans.
Brown advised Government is to register a National Request for market access with NZ’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (NZMAF) Biosecurity. He said NZMAF must carry out a Risk Assessment Analysis for Market Access and that there is an 18 month time frame during which this done. It is a process that will cost at least $200,000 said Brown.
Government will call on technical assistance from the SPC and FAO to prepare reports to form the basis to assist NZMAF with their assessment. These technical reports will cover such items as pests, diseases, crop information, harvesting, marketing, and environment.
One grower pleased with the proposals for Tahitian Lime and Poblano Chili is Sir Terepai Maoate.
On Rarotonga he has three plots of lime trees and something like 800 trees. These have already started fruiting. About ten years ago he introduced some 200 lime trees on Mauke and estimates that after foraging by wild pigs, some 130 trees still remain.
Brown was asked about the status of the two studies which were carried out last year in June by Technical Advisors in respect of seeking NZ market access for Pacific Cabbage (Rukau viti) and Pacific plum (Vi kavakava).
The resulting reports were issued in August 2009 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) based in Samoa. Both reports proposed that the Cook Islands may benefit from the commercial planting and export of the Pacific Cabbage ( Raukau viti )and the Pacific Plum ( Vi kava kava).
Brown advised that Government no longer plans to follow through on these reports.
While Fiji has established a ready market in NZ, Australia, Canada, Hawaii and the USA mainland for the highly nutritious and fast growing Pacific cabbage (Bele) and the export potential for the Cook Islands is regarded as promising the cabbage is not popular among Cook Islanders. Although the opportunity exists for the Cook Islands to piggy back on Fiji’s penetration of the NZ market, Breadfruit says Brown, is considered a better alternative. The proposal is to seek access for cooked Breadfruit.
Vikavakava is grown on local private properties with no commercial plantings. The trees bear fruit after five years.
According to the FAO report, there are very good fresh market potentials for this fruit in New Zealand, especially through existing Pacific market outlets and also through the weekend flea markets such as in Otara, and Mangere. There were very positive responses from the Island Importers in New Zealand due to its off season nature, meaning it matures during the time when there are no fruits such as breadfruits, avocado, mangoes etc., thus enabling the heat treatment facilities to operate all year round, and for Pacific Islanders in New Zealand to buy and eat one of their favorite fruits.
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