By Duncan Garner
Kiwifruit company Zespri has hit back at Turners and Growers, saying their attempt to undermine their trade is economic sabotage.
Zespri chief executive Lain Zager had stayed quiet on the issue for days but broke his silence today when meeting kiwifruit growers in the Bay of Plenty.
“I think it is disappointing, sad and obsessive,” he said, referring to allegations that Turners and Growers has been lobbying foreign governments to break Zespri’s monopoly.
According to Zespri they have been meeting with officials at the US embassy, and other officials in Europe.
“I would call it economic sabotage. It’s not in the best interests of New Zealand kiwifruit growers,” said Mr Zager.
Zespri kiwifruit growers also feel that the Turners and Growers approach has undermined New Zealand’s trade policy.
“I think it is quite underhand. New Zealanders shouldn’t be doing this to other New Zealanders, it is not surprising they are British-owned,” said Peter Ombler from NZ Kiwifruit Growers.
But Turners and Growers’ Tony Gibbs says Zespri’s claims of collusion and sabotage are hysterical, and the case is now going to court.
Mr Gibbs says he has documents that prove the European Fruit and Vegetable Association was asking questions to the European Commission in January about the efficiency of Zespri’s monopoly.
European officials wrote:
“Zespri has been granted a special exemption by the WTO from a challenge to its single channel status. There is no logical rationale on trade policy grounds for this.”
Mr Gibbs says it is proof overseas countries want the monopoly broken.
The kiwifruit trade is worth more than $1 billion a year and Mr Gibbs is prepared to play hard ball to get a slice of the action.
Now, the Government is being forced to defend a monopoly – when in almost all other facets of its policies it believes in competition.
3 News