Hundreds of New Zealand apple growers demonstrated these two days in central Wellington, and before Beehive, the Parliament building, calling an end to Australia's 84-year-old ban on New Zealand apple selling across the Tasman Sea.

Angry farmers demanded New Zealand Government to be more tough on asking the nearest neighbor and largest parter to open the door for New Zealand apple export.

About 300 Federated Farmers members marched Thursday through central Wellington calling for more actions. The farmers carried two coffins containing a 28,000-to-30,000- signature petition.

Apple growers' leader Havelock North orchardist Phil Alison said more than half of the industry's businesses would be represented at the march.

"That is massive," he said.

He noted the Government's decision to raise the issue at a World Trade Organization (WTO) committee meeting did not go far enough.

"Growers wanted Australia to be taken through the WTO's appeals process. Discussions on Closer Economic Relations should be suspended at ministerial and official levels and the Government should withdraw support for Australia as a member of the free- trade Cairns Group," said North.

Growers are also urging a boycott of Australian fruit and vegetables until the importation of New Zealand apples into Australia is permitted.

Australia has banned New Zealand apples because of a perceived risk of the pipfruit disease fire blight. The ban dates back to an outbreak in Auckland in 1919.

One of the demonstration organizer, Australian Access Action Group spokesman Phil Alison, said government help so far has fallen short, and Australia needs to be made feeling uncomfortable in an international arena.

He believed that the Government has been taking too much "tea and cake" with Australia rather than taking solid action.

"Not to buy Australian fresh fruit and vegetables," said one apple farmer name Julley, adding this will send a powerful message that New Zealanders will not tolerate Australia's double standards on free trade.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Phil Goff said Wednesday the march "sent a clear message to Australian apple growers and the Australian government."

He said the continuing ban on New Zealand apples in the Australian market is contrary to the principles of free trade and the rules both countries have signed up to in the WTO.

"It is an ill-disguised trade barrier," said Goff.

Frustration at ongoing delays in Australian authorities delivering on undertakings has led to the New Zealand government raising the issue in the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee. This is the first time that either country has taken the other to the WTO.

The matter goes to the WTO next Wednesday. Australia will explain in that forum why it has delayed action and what it is going to do to resolve the issue.

Goff said it will be an embarrassment for a country that is chair of the Cairns Group to confront well-founded allegations of trade protectionism by them.

Goff said that if no progress was made at the WTO phytosanitary committee, "a full dispute procedure was an option."

But he said that process could take up to three years, and it would be quicker to have Australia "do the right thing" by acting on the science which showed fire blight was not spread by clean ripe apples.

Source: Xinhua