WELLINGTON, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- As New Zealand greenhouse tomato growers are concerned about a virus found in Australia, New Zealand's biosecurity department has placed import restrictions on tomato seed imports from Australia.
The department has stepped up biosecurity requirements in response to the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) recently detected at two South Australian growing properties, Stuart Anderson, Biosecurity New Zealand deputy director general, said on Thursday.
"Imported seeds for sowing from Australia will now require testing for the virus prior to arrival in New Zealand, which is a requirement that is already in place for other countries where the virus is present," Anderson said.
New Zealand has also temporarily suspended tomato imports from all Australian states except Queensland, where there is no evidence of the disease or links to the affected properties in South Australia, he said, adding the situation continues to be monitored closely to ensure New Zealand growers are protected.
The virus, which was first noted in the Middle East and has never been found in New Zealand, affects tomatoes, capsicums and chilies, causing yellowing and deformity in the host plants, but has no impact on human health, Anderson said.
TomatoesNZ Chair Barry O'Neil said if ToBRFV were to get to New Zealand, it could have dire consequences for New Zealand's greenhouse tomato and capsicum industry, because the virus spreads extremely easily and has such a major impact on production, with reported crop losses of up to 80 percent.
"The best line of defense is to keep the virus out of New Zealand," O'Neil said, adding the second-best line of defense is for growers to have strict hygiene measures in place to try to stop ToBRFV from entering a particular property, if it does arrive in New Zealand. ■
