Strong wool eyes China
China looks set to play a key role in helping the New Zealand wool sector shift away from trading as a commodity supplier.
“Dalian Yidu imports many New Zealand and global agricultural products. It is one of Zespri’s importers into China, dealing with less than 5% of Zespri’s China volume,” a Zespri spokesman told Rural News.
“Zespri’s NZ supply season to our markets, including China, finished quite a while ago and Zespri has no financial exposure to Yidu. There is nothing to indicate this investigation involves Zespri kiwifruit.”
Dalian Yidu is one of four of Zespri’s importers in China, a spokesman confirmed.
The Ministry for Primary Industries is aware of the issue and is monitoring the situation as a part of our normal market access work.
“Regarding any other companies using this importer, the commercial arrangements between New Zealand exporters and overseas importers are confidential to the parties involved,” a spokesman says.
“MPI has been told, however, that the importer concerned does import other New Zealand commodities from other primary production sectors. The ministry does not hold information on the specific exporting companies.”
Nine staff at Dalian Yidu are understood to have been arrested in relation to importing prohibited fruit and alleged under-declaration of customs duties.
