By LIBBY MIDDLEBROOK
New Zealand's largest strawberry producer may quit unless researchers come up with a good alternative to methyl bromide, the soil fumigant due to be phased out by 2005.
Francie Perry, managing director of Perrys Berrys, may sell off her 24ha strawberry patch because researchers around the globe are struggling
to come up with a replacement.
The chemical, widely applied by strawberry growers and some vegetable and flower producers to combat disease and weeds, is due to be phased out here as part of the 1987 Montreal Protocol to ban ozone-depleting substances.
"Unless a viable alternative is found in the short term there's no point continuing growing after methyl bromide is gone. It's a very important part of our growing operation," said Ms Perry, who exports more than 90 per cent of the yield to Asia, the United States, the Middle East and Europe.
"We rely on it and our production volumes per plant are not so great that we can afford to lose any more ... It's that simple."
The Perrys Berrys patch at Mangere is just one growing operation around New Zealand taking part in a HortResearch project into alternatives to methyl bromide.
Ms Perry can point out the disadvantage of not using methyl bromide. An area at her plant that did not receive an application of the chemical earlier this growing season is now marked with weeds.
Dr Ian Horner, who has been running the HortResearch project for two years, concedes that researchers in New Zealand and overseas have yet to find a good alternative through field trials and testing, but he remains hopeful.
"Methyl bromide has predominated in the growing industry for more than 30 years because it is such a good product," Dr Horner said.
"We are still trying to find out what the next best thing is. We've still got a way to go, but we've had some success."
HortResearch, which receives $80,000 a year from growers and Government organisations to run the project, is coordinating field trials into five different products. The project has finance for another two years.
