National Should Tell Turners And Growers To “Pull Its Head In”

The attack by Turners and Growers on Zespri borders on national treachery, with significant possible ramifications for New Zealand efforts to progress free trade, says Labour Agriculture spokesperson Damien O’Connor.

Damien O’Connor said Turners and Growers chairman Tony Gibbs, whose company owns Enza, a once proud but now struggling pipfruit exporter, “should fully understand and acknowledge the disastrous consequences of multi-seller marketing of horticultural exports into a tough international marketplace.

“Zespri has managed to grow value for growers of kiwifruit and New Zealand, unlike Enza, where reduction in value for all stakeholders has been the outcome,” Damien O’Connor said.

“The overwhelming majority of kiwifruit growers understand the value of their exporter, Zespri, and rejected Tony Gibbs’ first attempt to remove their mandate for export coordination.

“John Key and his National Government have to front up, tell Tony Gibbs to pull his head in, and to get on with improving the returns for Enza, not destroying the returns for Zespri,” Damien O’Connor said.

ENDS

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