NZ: Seeka assuages concerns over antibiotic kiwifruit
New Zealand grower and packer Seeka has assured the industry that none of its antibiotic-treated kiwifruit have entered the fruit market, website 3news.co.nz reported.
Seeka said it was involved in pan-industry approved trials to test the use of streptomycin and oxytectracyclin as a defence to the killer vine disease Psa-V.
Chief executive Michael Franks, said there was never any intention to harvest for consumption and all fruit was destroyed.
“The trials were carried out under strict control processes following careful planning,” he was quoted as saying.
In fact, Seeka had alerted the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) about a trial which had occured without orchard-specific approval from the authorities.
Findings from Seeka trials had been presented to the industry at recent technical forums in the hope of finding a cure for Psa-V.
Franks said regular monitoring across the industry is key to ensuring there is no antibiotic residue on any fruit.
New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry has been struggling with the Psa-V bacteria, discovered in 2010, which has infected more than 40% of the country’s orchards.
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