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Source: NZPA / Tim Cuff -
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New Zealand's push to overcome Australian non-tariff trade barriers against apples has run into further delays.
Australian government agriculture officials testifying to a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra this week said the panel set up by the World Trade Organisation to hear New Zealand's appeal against import protocols is now not expected to report until early next year.
"The original reporting date was the middle of this year, but delays in getting expert advice have pushed the completion date back by at least six months," reported the Weekly Times newspaper.
The federal agriculture officials told an estimates hearing that results of the panel's consultations with experts would be available for comment and rebuttal by New Zealand and Australia during April.
"We're not expecting a panel ruling at this stage until early 2010," one official said.
New Zealand is challenging Australia's decision to impose restrictive protocols for imports of New Zealand apples, including orchard checks, packing house fumigation and random fruit sampling.
It has complained that the safeguards are excessive and constitute trade barriers rather than being science-based.
Australian orchardists have said imports of New Zealand apples could cost the major growing areas in New South Wales $A30 million a year in lost sales, while New Zealand growers have said that under ideal circumstances the Australian market would be worth $40 million a year.
