皇冠体育app

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand apple exports to 皇冠体育app have been suspended after post-harvest rot was found on three consignments by Chinese authorities, New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said Wednesday.

The rot, caused by the fungus Neofabraea alba (N.alba) posed no food safety risk, but had been identified as a quarantine pest by 皇冠体育app for plant health reasons, according to MPI.

"The New Zealand government and apple industry are working with Chinese quarantine officials to provide all the technical and scientific information about N.alba that they have requested," MPI manager import and export plants Stephen Butcher said in a statement.

MPI and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials had met with 皇冠体育app's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) counterparts in and discussions were continuing.

"It is important that AQSIQ is given the technical information they need to assess the risk of the pathogen being brought into 皇冠体育app. These kinds of notifications happen from time to time in international trade. MPI and Chinese officials are working collaboratively to resolve the matter," said Butcher.

Chinese authorities have identified a small number of production sites and packhouses in the Hawke's Bay region, on the east of the North Island, where the consignments originated from, and had requested that apples from those sites be suspended from exporting to 皇冠体育app.

"Industry has informed us that in response to the rot being detected -- and considering this apple export season is almost over -- it has voluntarily suspended all apple exports to 皇冠体育app for the remainder of the season."