The Australian Government looks to have accepted a World Trade Organisation ruling it can no longer block New Zealand apples.

The WTO has ordered Australia to overturn restrictions on New Zealand apples in place since 1921, and after exhausting all avenues of appeal, the Government is starting an import risk assessment.

HortNZ is among the many industry bodies welcoming the decision, but its Chief Executive Peter Silcock says the victory is just one in many battles the export industry is fighting.

“It’s true that in a lot of cases we’ve got to wait for the market we’re asking access to, to respond to our requests and it’s a really about us having an active presence up there, talking to them on a regular basis and trying to push forward with as many of these applications as we can.”

Peter Silcock says there’s little his organisation can do but support the Government.

“Some of those markets, for instance like South Korea, tend to have quite high tariffs and that’s one of the reasons why the horticulture industry is so supportive of the Government entering into a free trade agreement with that market.”

New Zealand has more than 40 market access requests outstanding, including getting onions into Australia, capsicums to the USA and potatoes into South Korea.