An official from New Zealand is in the country to meet with Fijis’ delegation this morning to resolve the recent suspension of trade in four affected commodities.
NZ’s Ministry of Primary Industries says it made an error in their recent suspension of the import of eggplant, mangoes, breadfruit and papaya from Fiji.
The Chief Technical Officer at the Ministry of Primary Industries, Dr Stephen Butcher will meet with the delegation, led by Minister for Public Enterprises Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, in Nadi.
NZ’s MPI has acknowledged that its broad suspension of agricultural imports from Fiji is inappropriate.
Minister Sayed-Khaiyum told FBC News Fiji is expected to make a formal request to lift the suspension of the four commodities at the meeting.
“If a consignment of goods or produce is sent across and hasn’t necessarily met with the standards then you reject it and by way of re-shipping it to the port of destination or you destroy it. In this particular case the entire segment has been suspended which is quite out of the ordinary.”
New Zealand has agreed there have been no documented cases of a fruit fly outbreak caused by the Fijian products.
Meanwhile, the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji has been requested to audit the Natures Way Cooperative facility to see it meets all requirements under the Bilateral Quarantine Agreement and international standards.
