By PHILIPPA STEVENSON agricultural editor
Pipfruit sector watchdog the Apple and Pear Board goes into a second day of talks with exporter Enza today over disputed foreign exchange transactions.
Board chairman John Isles said the industry regulatory body met Enza personnel for seven hours yesterday and would resume talks today.
He described discussions
over Enza's contentious $50 million forex losses as "very productive."
The board was aware of the matter's urgency and would deliver a provisional report for comment by Enza and the industry as soon as possible.
Enza claims the $50 million costs are the growers' responsibility and has begun deducting $4.50 a carton from orchardists' returns for fruit.
Growers argue that they may be liable for as little as $8 million and that Enza shareholders, including majority stakeholders Guinness Peat Group and FR Partners, should also bear responsibility.
Mr Isles said the board had to determine whether the forex transactions were part of Enza's core business.
It would have no further interest in the issue if the forex was core business, but complex matters would be raised if the board determined otherwise.
He declined further comment.
Enza spokesman John Walsh said yesterday that the company also intended meeting advisers to Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton, including the Crown Law Office, this week.
Pipfruit Growers NZ spokesman Paul Paynter said growers received a letter from Enza yesterday which in the main restated the company's view of growers' liability.
Growers who initiated arbitration proceedings with the company expected to meet it today, he said.
Mr Paynter said the group's membership had grown from four to around 20 and included major growers Grocorp and Hawkes Bay Apples.
