Rural / Country

KVH to sign biosecurity deal with Govt

07:17 am on 27 May 2014

Kiwifruit Vine Health looks like becoming a permanent fixture of the industry.

The agency was set up to manage the kiwifruit sector's response to PSA, a bacterial vine disease which seriously damaged the industry after breaking out four years ago.

Now, it has become the first to sign a new biosecurity partnership with the Government.

It's also involved in plans to develop a multi-sector government-industry agreement for fruit fly.

"I think it will be, biosecurity is seen as a key function, it has to sit somewhere and I think Kiwifruit Vine Health gives it the focus it needs and it's pan-industry so it's across all growers so it performs a very important function," said chairman Peter Ombler.