The Royal Commission on Genetic Modification - submissions

ZESPRI International Ltd (ZESPRI)

STRATEGIC ISSUES & OPTIONS — SECTIONS A(1), B(c), B(h), B(i)

Submission

ZESPRI called for the Commission to recommend that commercial food production in New Zealand should remain GM free until assurances of food and environmental safety and consumer acceptance of the techniques are in place. They further noted that if food retailers can be assured of public confidence, food and environmental safety then technical standards will be adopted to reflect this and global retailing of GM food will occur.

In the opinion of ZESPRI, the two factor that will moderate this change are labelling and increased knowledge from research. Research into GM technology should therefore proceed and be better facilitated by appropriate changes to the legislation. Knowledge is particularly desirable in the following areas:

Knowledge leading to greater assurances of food safety:

Knowledge leading to greater understanding of environmental impacts and safety:

Alternative uses for GM tools. For example, laboratory based procedures that can be used to develop diagnostic tools for uses other than GM products.

Furthermore, labelling is also a mechanism that will generate much clearer information about consumer choice and preference. This will provide feedback about the acceptability of GM products to food retailers and reduce the dependence on precautionary avoidance strategies.

It was observed that New Zealand, with a small domestic market and a large export market, is very dependent upon consumer opinion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can easily be discriminated against in market access, and its internal markets cannot buffer the effects. Furthermore, a decision to allow commercial GM food production in New Zealand could be used as a pretext to refuse New Zealand non-GM food products. According to ZESPRIS submission, marketing evidence is that the GM status for New Zealand commercial food production calls into question the GM status of all New Zealand food produced. ZESPRI interpreted this to mean that there is risk to the market for New Zealand kiwifruit if New Zealand allows commercial GM food production. This risk is greatest for kiwifruit export to Europe.

ECONOMIC ISSUES — SECTION B(j)(iii)

Submission

Tony Mark’s witness brief outlined the following considerations:

Global food retailing is intensely competitive for consumer loyalty and purchasing power and is controlled by a small number of hugely powerful companies. These are sensitive to consumer perceptions and are risk averse where consumer opinion is concerned;

Many consumer research studies have shown a significant level of caution about GM foods;

Brands and foods associated with GM have been removed from sale. The list of global food retailers that will not stock GM foods includes Sainsburys, Tesco, Safeway and Dairy Farm Co. Ltd. McDonalds have recently announced that they will not purchase GM food ingredients;

ZESPRI’s own marketing staff in Europe have confirmed the strong adverse reaction of consumers to GM food. Marketing for ZESPRI GOLD Kiwifruit had to incorporate frequent reassurances that the product was the outcome of a breeding programme not of genetic modification;

Consumers and markets are not always rational. A decision to allow commercial GM food production in New Zealand, in the present consumer climate, could destroy the European market for New Zealand kiwifruit;

During the process of consumer acceptance New Zealand should maintain its current GE free status for commercial food production. New Zealand GM food production, if and when it occurs, should not be to the detriment of what is already being successfully earned.

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