By LIAM DANN primary industries editor
Pipfruit growers have rejected a proposal to form a unified industry-good organisation incorporating packers and exporters.
Delegates at the annual grower conference in Hawkes Bay yesterday sent their executive committee back to the drawing board, despite voicing general approval for the concept of a new industry
structure.
Opponents argued that there had been insufficient consultation about the structure of the new organisation and that details needed more work.
The vote, which required 75 per cent approval to succeed, ended with 59 per cent in favour.
Votes were allocated to growers by production volume. The decision by the industry's largest grower, Mr Apple - understood to account for about 20 per cent of votes cast - was a key to the result.
The new organisation was to have been responsible for industry-good functions, such as the development of new apple varieties. It would also have been involved in production and post-harvest research, development of market access, food safety assurance, regulatory compliance and lobbying Government.
Visibly frustrated, Pipfruit New Zealand chairman Phil Alison told the meeting that the industry had showed an inability to compromise.
"For the past two days of our conference world-wide experts have told us that this was the very concept lacking in the New Zealand industry."
It was disappointing that a debate about the finer points of the proposal had prevented the industry moving forward, he said.
"To me, we've just killed it," Alison said. "There is no plan B."
Opponents argued that more time was needed to work on the structure of the new organisation before it was approved.
Hawkes Bay apple grower Nigel Cooper said he felt there had been a lack of consultation.
Despite voting against any structural change, growers did vote to change the name of the existing organisation.
Pipfruit Growers of New Zealand (PGNZI) becomes Pipfruit New Zealand (PNZ).
Growers also voted to reduce the annual levy from 1c per kilogram of fruit produced to 0.75c.
