Seeds running out of steam

CHRISTINE CORNEGE

SUPER SEEDING: Phoenix Garlic business manager John Murphy empties sacks of garlic seed into a precision planter in the Awatere Valley. This season the company has planted 53 hectares of garlic in the Wairau and Awatere valleys, and at Rapaura.

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Strict biosecurity regulations have hurt one of the region's two commercial garlic growers this planting season.

Piquant Garlic owner Alan Jones said the company had only been able to plant 16 hectares of garlic, six hectares less than 2008, because of ongoing issues surrounding the importation of seed from South America.

A Biosecurity Import Health Standard puts limitations on what garlic nursery stock can be imported. As a result, no garlic seed stock is imported.

Mr Jones said it was frustrating that imported garlic from countries like the United States and China was held to comparatively low standards of biosecurity.

"It [the importation of garlic] will happen, but it's not a high enough priority [for MAF Biosecurity NZ]. If it was the dairy section they'd throw a lot of money at it."

The company's line of seed, which they grow themselves, was "running out of puff" and current restrictions meant more vigorous strains of garlic could not be imported.

"Virus-free garlic springs away," Mr Jones said.

Until about three years ago it brought new seed from a Christchurch firm to "keep the variety fresh", but the company has since folded. Attempts to import seed since had faltered.

"We need to bring in a new generation. We are playing catch-up rugby now, we should have been applying seed three years ago."

Increased demand from consumers "fighting against the Chinese garlic" meant they had used some of this year's seed stock to supply the local market, which in hindsight was a mistake, he said.

"It's disappointing for us because our markets are buying our garlic and then we run out."

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand senior adviser Annie Wright said MAF were working with importers and the industry to assist with importation and the Government had provided funding to develop the required Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) services which were now available for use by the garlic industry.

Phoenix Garlic business manager John Murphy, the Marlborough's other major garlic company, said a small quantity of seed was imported from Argentina last year but it was some way from commercial volume because of quarantine requirements that need to be worked through.

"It's still pretty slow. It's not a case of MAF biosecurity not doing their job, but that said it is a very slow process."

Mr Murphy said this year they had sufficient stock for planting because over the past few seasons the company had concentrated on building up their seed stock.

However, the introduction of new stock would reinvigorate the line, he said.

On a positive note, good weather had allowed Phoenix Garlic to increase its crop in, Rapaura, Wairau Valley and the Awatere to 53ha.

"Last year [the weather] was a disaster, and we managed to get through it, but this year we have been very fortunate."

Mr Murphy said the firm was on the final planting stretch.

"Anything past August and we start to get issues with maturity at the other end."

The crop of printanor garlic would be harvested in early January.