3 July 2012

Tomatoes New Zealand welcomes Government’s decision on NZ ETS

Tomatoes New Zealand has welcomed the Government’s decision to extend transitional measures designed to reduce the initial cost impacts of the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Wim Zwart, Chair of Tomatoes New Zealand, said that the move would be widely welcomed by the country’s greenhouse vegetable growers.

“The decision to extend transitional measures designed to reduce the initial cost impacts of the scheme beyond 2012 is particularly welcome,” said Mr Zwart.

“The ETS has had a major impact on production costs for many of New Zealand’s hothouse tomatoes growers, making them less competitive against those overseas growers who are not facing carbon costs.”

There are over 200 tomato growers in New Zealand who produce standard and specialty fresh tomatoes with a farm gate value of $90 million per annum. In 2011 the tomato export market was valued at approximately $15 million.

“This is a common sense decision that will allow our growers to continue to expand and grow the commercial export market,” added Mr Zwart.

“Many hothouse tomato growers have been investigating and introducing innovative measures to reduce emissions. This will provide them with some short term certainty around production costs and some more time to prepare for the long-term impacts of ETS.”

To learn more about Tomatoes New Zealand please visit www.tomatoesnz.co.nz.

ENDS

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