Fruit growers push for universal model

Measuring emissions by the world's fruit exporters would establish a level playing field. Photo / Duncan Brown

New Zealand apple growers say new research may help develop an international model for measuring emissions by the world's fruit exporters.

The study shows a kilogram of New Zealand apples exported to Asia or the US West Coast generates the equivalent of 700g of carbon dioxide, rising to 900g on exports to Europe, based on a UK climate standard.

A broader measure that includes orchard machinery and consumer transport lifts emissions to 920g and 1.2kg respectively.

New Zealand farmers, the world's biggest exporters of lamb and kiwifruit, are promoting the environmental value of their produce to win higher prices and compete with lower cost rivals.

Establishing New Zealand fruit as the quality benchmark in international markets may help double sales to $10 billion within 10 years, Horticulture New Zealand said.

"This modelling is one of the most sophisticated studies" into emissions from the apple industry, Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive officer Peter Beaven said in a statement.

"We want to offer it to others in the hope that we can agree on common standards on how to measure emissions across the life cycle of the apple."

The eight-month study used the emissions code of the British Standards Institute and the International Standards Organisation's Life Cycle Assessment.

It modelled the 2007 crop and was reviewed by Sweden's Institute for Food and Biotechnology.

The study found about 57 per cent of emissions from apples sold in the UK came from shipping. About 14 per cent occurred in New Zealand orchards, packing houses and ports while repacking and retailing in the UK generated about 21 per cent.

Although big emission reductions could be made improving ship design, capacity utilisation and refrigeration, cuts could also be made within New Zealand, the report found.

Better management of chemical spraying could reduce orchard emissions by as much as 20 per cent, while power use in cool stores could be reduced by more than 10 per cent, it said.

- BLOOMBERG