Turnout gives growers new heart

By PHILIPPA STEVENSON and NZPA

A noisy protest on Hastings streets has given applegrowers a big boost in their dispute with exporter Enza, a sector leader says.

Pipfruit Growers NZ executive member Paul Paynter said yesterday's turnout of more than 500 pipfruit industry protesters, some driving tractors, was empowering.

"It's made growers see that united they can achieve something. It's shown people, including politicians, that we are prepared to do what it takes to get a resolution."

Growers say Enza is unjustifiably sticking them with a bill for $50 million-worth of botched foreign exchange transactions.

Mr Paynter told the crowd his family had wholeheartedly supported Enza for 50 years.

But unless it ceased its "inane, mindless, arrogant corporate attitude" and made a genuine effort to resolve the dispute, "they've seen the last box of apples I'm going to give them. They've got two weeks to sort this out."

After the rally Mr Paynter said several legal opinions supported the growers' stance, while Enza "only has a conclusion."

In Wellington yesterday, Enza met Crown Law officials to discuss the legal position. The office has advised Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton that, on the face of it, the terms of growers' supply contracts do not allow Enza to bring projected forex losses to account this year.

The company had intended that growers cover all forex losses, including an estimated $19 million for 2002, before the industry is deregulated on October 1.

Enza spokesman John Walsh said more meetings with Government officials were planned next week.

Meanwhile, Enza and growers have agreed to Auckland University chancellor Sir Ian Barker arbitrating on the dispute. The appointment needs to be formally confirmed by Pipfruit Growers NZ.

At the Hastings protest, another orchardist, Tony Gilbertson, predicted Enza would ruin more than 40 per cent of the region's orchards.

"It's serious stuff. The impact will go out to all the packhouses and service industries, some of whom are already going unpaid from shortages of money. The effects will roll right through the community," he said.

Pipfruit Growers NZ chairman Phil Alison received support after being attacked by Enza chairman Tony Gibbs.

Mr Gibbs said this week that the organisation no longer represented growers' views and did not have their confidence. There had been calls for Mr Alison to resign, he said.

Mr Paynter said Mr Alison had his backing "100 per cent" and that support for Pipfruit Growers had grown through the dispute.

Mr Gibbs sounded like a "man under pressure," he said.

"It's a huge issue and he is on the back foot. He is trying to divide and confuse, if not divide and conquer."