. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/AG/N/NZL/76 
5 July 2012 
 (12-3598) 
Committee on Agriculture Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
  The following submission, dated 13 June 2012, is  being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of New Zealand .  The notification concerns new or modified domestic support measures 
exempt from reduction ( Table DS:2 ). 
 G/AG/N/NZL/76 
Page 2  
 
  Table DS:2 
DOMESTIC SUPPORT:  New Zealand  
Notification under Article 18.3 of the Agreement on Agriculture:  
New or modified domestic support measures exempt from reduction  
(1) Full title of measure:   Response to combat the kiwifruit disease Pseudomonas syringae pv. 
actinidiae (Psa) 
(2) Domestic legislation:   No new legislation.  The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) 
supported the industry-led programme to contain the spread of and manage the infectious 
disease Psa. 
(3) Detailed description of measure with reference to criteria:   The MAF has been working 
with the kiwifruit industry to manage the sp read of Psa and its impacts on the kiwifruit 
industry and ultimately to help the industry r ecover.  Psa cannot be transmitted via fruit. 
 Psa was first identified in New Zealand kiwifruit orchards in November 2010.  As at 
18 April 2012 there are nearly 1,200 orchards  in New Zealand infected with Psa V (the 
virulent form of Psa).  This represents over 35 per cent of the total number of kiwifruit orchards and over 44 per cent of the total kiwifruit production area in New Zealand.  Gold kiwifruit vines have been particularly seriously affected by the disease but the disease has also 
spread in green orchards. 
The New Zealand government has provided fund ing up to a maximum of $ NZ 25 million, to 
be matched 50 / 50 by the kiwifruit industry, to minimise the damage of the disease and help recovery.  The industry body Kiwifruit Vine Health, was formed by industry to lead the 
strategy.  The Government is overseeing. 
The industry strategy has developed from in itial aggressive containment through cutting out 
affected vines, to preventing the disease spreading with pro cedures for washing and sanitising 
bins, tools, vehicles and other equipment used on kiwifruit orchards.  Some of the fund is 
being used to assist the industry to recover production by identifying disease tolerant / resistant strains and funding associated research.  The programme meets the criteria of 
Annex 2, paragraph 2(b) of the Agreement on Agriculture (General services:  pest and disease 
control). 
(4) Cost of measure:   An estimated $NZ 21.5 million has been spent of $NZ 25 million 
approved by the New Zealand Government.  Th e total fund is $NZ 50 million, with 
$NZ 25 million contributed by each the Government and industry.  
(5) Date of entry into effect:   Assistance was available from November 2010. 
(6) Period of application:   Government support is available until it runs out or until the kiwifruit 
industry put in place a national pest management  strategy which allows industry to raise 
levies to combat Psa. 
(7) Products to principally benefi t (if any individual product(s)):   The immediate 
beneficiaries are New Zealand kiwifruit grow ers.  Containment assistance is benefiting 
growers who have not been affected by the disease by reducing the possibility of their vines being infected.  Recovery assistance is bene fiting growers who have had their ability to 
produce fruit damaged by Psa. 
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