NZ to take Australia to WTO over apple dispute

New Zealand will take Australia to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in a bid to resolve a longstanding dispute over apple access.

Successive New Zealand governments have been trying to get Australia to allow New Zealand's apples into its market.

The apples have been banned for over 80 years because of a perceived risk of the disease fireblight.

The Government and local growers dispute there is any risk.

Australia has recently agreed to let New Zealand apples in with tight quarantine restrictions, but Government ministers today said technical discussions around the restrictions were being unnecessarily delayed, leaving New Zealand with no choice but to take the dispute to the WTO.

- NZPA