Enza's injunction against export permits scuttled

By PHILIPPA STEVENSON agricultural editor

The High Court has lifted an injunction that has been stopping the issue of export permits for apples.

Enza, which exports the bulk of the nation' s $600 million apple crop, has until this morning to appeal against the court's decision.

It gained the injunction on December 6 in a move that effectively halted the consents process and prevented the shipment of most of the 2.4 million cartons already approved for sale by independent exporters.

Yesterday, Enza returned to court to press for the injunction to continue until the permit process could be reviewed.

But lawyers for the export permits committee and the Crown Law Office were successful in getting the injunction lifted from 10 am today.

It is understood that the court granted the delay to allow Enza time to appeal if it wanted to.

Enza was considering its options last night, a spokesman said.

By law, the consents have to be complementary to Enza, but last week chairman Tony Gibbs said the company was at a loss to understand how they could be.

Enza believed the damage to its marketing programmes and grower returns would be significant, he said.

A spokeswoman for Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said the minister was pleased by the court's decision and the most important issue now was for an agreement to be reached between growers and Enza on supply contracts.

Meanwhile, the company has moved fast to replace its chief executive of just nine months, David Geor, who resigned suddenly on Friday.

The former chief of Northland Dairy was appointed on April 3 and was billed then as having an excellent understanding of the commercial skills and management qualities needed to succeed in the sometimes volatile primary production markets.

Since then, Enza has become dominated by corporate interests after Guinness Peat Group and FR Partners gained a near 40 per cent combined shareholding.

Wholesale changes have since taken place on the Enza board. Director Michael Dossor, appointed to the board on August 28, has now been named managing director until a new chief executive can be appointed.

Mr Dossor is general manager of the international division of fruit and vegetable trader Turners and Growers, which is 43 per cent owned by GPG. He is also a director of Turners, chairman of McKay Shipping, and has other business interests including representing the owners of the Bonita banana brand in New Zealand.

Apple growers showed little regret at Mr Geor's departure, with one saying he had never had a meeting with him that had a constructive outcome.

But dairy industry sources said Mr Geor would be welcomed back to that sector, where he was highly regarded.

Pipfruit Growers chairman Phil Alison welcomed Mr Dossor's appointment, saying he was looking forward to improved communication.

Growers are likely to have to wait until Enza's annual meeting in February to find out what Mr Geor's abrupt departure has cost the group.