Update - Japan market now open, 12 August 2008

It gives us great pleasure to announce that the Japan market has now re-opened for export tomatoes and capsicums from New Zealand.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) received a letter yesterday from Japan MAFF confirming Japan will allow the recommencement of imports of fresh tomatoes and capsicums from New Zealand without the need for additional quarantine measures. The only condition that MAFF has put in place will be an additional declaration on phytosanitary certificates that the shipment is free of psyllids. As Japan is New Zealand’s biggest market for capsicums, this is very welcome news.

Australia is now the only major market remaining closed and will become an important focus for negotiations. Biosecurity Australia intends conducting a risk assessment before considering whether to lift their current suspension and decide on what, if any, measures trade could resume under. We will continue to emphasise with our Australia counterparts the need for a prompt resolution to this issue, and are working with them to bring key scientists here to New Zealand so the risk analysis work will be progressed as rapidly as possible.

Negotiations are continuing with French Polynesia and Fiji to remove remaining barriers to trade in capsicums and tomatoes.

Page last updated: 29 August 2008