NEW Zealand’s leading kiwifruit export outlet, Port of Tauranga, has applauded efforts by the government to strengthen plant variety rights (PVR) to protect investments underpinning high value exports, regional jobs and global demand for NZ produce.
Port of Tauranga chief executive Leonard Sampson said the government’s announcement was an important step that would support investment in the kiwifruit industry and continued growth in export volumes. The move provided greater certainty for Zespri, growers, other industry participants and the broader horticulture sector, allowing them to invest with confidence and encouraging innovation, he said.
Commerce and consumer affairs minister Cameron Brewer said high value horticulture relied on years, often decades, of breeding, testing and commercialisation. Strengthening the Plant Variety Rights Act 2022 gives New Zealand the intellectual property settings it needs to compete internationally, protect our investment and grow export returns.
“In 2024, 75% of the NZ$3.5 billion in export returns from kiwifruit and an estimated 55% of the $979 million in export returns from apples came from plant variety rights protected varieties. This shows the vital contribution that new plant varieties make to growing export earnings and taking us closer to New Zealand’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of exports in 10 years.
“Zespri’s projections show that extending the PVR term by five years for SunGold Kiwifruit alone would mean additional revenue of around $1.8 billion over five years from the time of the extension, to the kiwifruit industry and the Bioeconomy Science Institute,” he said.
Growers will also benefit from additional returns as PVR varieties maintain their market value for longer, allowing growers to continue to build high value demand ahead of supply. The Government is also restoring provisional protection, so breeders are covered from day one of their rights application instead of when it is granted.
“This means plant breeders can take immediate legal action if new varieties are stolen and commercially exploited during the application process, which can take up to five years and sometimes much longer,” he said.
Mr Sampson said the success of the kiwifruit industry and Port of Tauranga were intertwined: “This announcement supports our plans to increase capacity and invest in infrastructure to support growing export volumes. Our aim is to have the capability in place to support the industry’s growth efficiently and reliably,” he said.
Port of Tauranga is progressing expansion plans to increase capacity by constructing new berths on both sides of Tauranga Harbour and increasing yard capacity at the container terminal through automation. The port is currently pursuing resource consent for the Stella Passage development through the fast-track process.