Fears over palm kernel bugs

Suspected biosecurity breaches in imported palm kernel are causing concern for Federated Farmers.

And the proposal by Biosecurity NZ to cut 60 jobs nationwide isn't instilling confidence that unwanted insects won't get into the country in the future, Federated Farmers biosecurity spokesman John Hartnell says.

The proposal would see the number of officers at Port Taranaki cut from two to one.

At this stage it is just a proposal for consultation and no decision will be made until the end of August, a Biosecurity NZ spokeswoman says. The organisation is waiting to hear back from affected staff.

But Federated Farmers is extremely concerned about the proposal, Mr Hartnell says.

"They only inspect 9 per cent of what comes into the country now."

And one in four of the containers that are checked contain a biosecurity risk.

There is in excess of 1000 containers a day coming into New Zealand carrying everything from used cars to farming equipment to animal feeds, he says.

"We're are only really scratching the surface and we're finding problems on the surface. I don't know what will happen if we dug a bit deeper."

Recent Biosecurity NZ checks have stopped insects coming into New Zealand, Mr Hartnell says.

Biosecurity NZ found 106 live insect species at eight bulk storage sites holding palm kernel. Ninety- nine of these species are already in New Zealand and may have infected the shipment after it arrived.

It is the other seven that are causing concern, he says.

If the wrong insect got in, it would create difficulties for farmers and care has to be taken with products destined for use on the farm.

"They argue insects coming from warmer climate won't be suited to living in New Zealand with our frosty mornings, but insects adapt. It doesn't take too long for them to get used to it."

The federation is taking a cautious approach to the situation, trying to ascertain whether it is a problem or just a couple of glitches in the system, Mr Hartnell says.

"What we are doing is asking farmers who are using palm kernel to notify us of any foreign matter that may be in their palm kernel as it is delivered."

- © Fairfax NZ News