RI eases NZ fruit imports

RI eases NZ fruit imports

WELLINGTON (Dow Jones): Indonesia has lifted restrictions on
imports of New Zealand kiwifruit and other fresh fruit products,
Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said Wednesday.

Indonesia had required imports of New Zealand fruit to be
refrigerated since 1996 when authorities discovered two
Mediterranean fruit flies in Auckland.

Sutton said Indonesia, which is New Zealand's 13th largest
trading partner, agreed to lift the refrigeration requirement
after talks in Christchurch in June.

New Zealand regained its status as a fruit fly free country
after implementing a detection and eradication program, he said.

"This will reduce costs for New Zealand fruit exporters and
brings Indonesia in line with New Zealand's other trading
partners," Sutton said.

Indonesia imported NZ$400,000 of New Zealand kiwifruit in the
year to March 31, and its total annual imports of New Zealand
goods are worth about NZ$438 million.