Imported roses could devastate horticulture industry

Disease risk from imported roses could devastate NZ’s $2.4 billion horticulture industry

The New Zealand Flower Growers Association is warning that the annual flood of rose imports from India for Valentine’s Day could devastate many sectors of our own $2.4 billion horticulture industry.

The Association is urging romantically-minded Kiwis to buy NZ-grown flowers this Valentine’s Day as part of measures to protect the domestic flower growing industry and minimise the long-term risk of a major biosecurity breach.

NZFGA president, David Blewden, says the massive number of rose and flower imports, and the lax biosecurity inspections offshore, mean a major biosecurity breach is nearly inevitable.

“It’s a disaster just waiting to happen.”

Over 20 percent of all roses sold in NZ are imported from India – last year Indian rose imports totalled well over 3 million stems. Total flower imports last year totalled 3.75 million.

Mr Blewden says New Zealanders buy approximately 600,000 rose stems for Valentine’s Day, 50 percent of which are imported from India.

Imported roses must meet specific biosecurity regulations so they can’t be re-grown, thereby eliminating the chance of introducing damaging diseases into NZ.

All roses imported into NZ are required to be treated with harsh chemicals like Round Up, which means they don’t last long once bought and consumers must be careful when handling them if they are sensitive to chemicals.

However, a 2008 trial of imported roses by both the NZFGA and the then Institute of Crop and Food Research found 80 percent were either not treated at all or treated insufficiently to meet New Zealand’s biosecurity import standards.

“Vietnam has already threatened to stop product from India because of the biosecurity danger,” Mr Blewden said.

The NZ Flower Growers Association and other national horticultural bodies fear that Biosecurity NZ relies too heavily on certification at Indian export facilities and does not do enough thorough inspections at NZ’s own border.

Mr Blewden cited a 2013 report from the European Commission Health and Consumers Directorate-General found that ‘key aspects of India’s (flower) export controls system, in particular relating to the facilities for performing export inspections, and the conduct of the checks themselves, have not been addressed’.

“This continues to put at risk our own horticulture industry which employs 50,000 people whose jobs and livelihoods are seriously under threat.

“We are urging Kiwis to ask for NZ-grown roses this Valentine’s Day.

“That way consumers get a better flower that will last longer because it hasn’t been dipped in Round Up, and they will help protect our local industry.”

ends

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