Prodigy, from Dow AgroSciences, has been welcomed by Blueberries NZ.
Chairman Dan Peach says he is extremely pleased growers have access to new chemistry and the option to use more sustainable products.
“This opens the door for new export opportunities and helps to ensure we continue to supply a high quality product to our consumers”.
While blueberry growers in general use very few insecticides, in times when they are required to produce high quality fruit, industries preference is to use low risk, targeted compounds.
"It is great to have made this step forward. As this project continues to gain momentum more registrations for minor fruit and vegetable crops are expected by the end of the year. This will result in positive outcomes for growers of minor crops."
The SFF Minor Crops project is co-ordinated by Horticulture NZ and was set up to help make product registration more efficient,
less costly and more achievable for growers of minor crops.
“The project brings together 12 grower product groups from across horticulture, along with agrichemical companies and the Ministry for Primary Industries who have together invested over $1 million to help streamline registration of agrichemicals for minor crops,” says Debbie Morris, Director ACVM, Ministry for Primary Industries.
Most crops produced in NZ are considered minor by chemical companies and due to low levels of chemical sales they do not justify the cost of specific registration trials.
"There is a real need to assist growers to ensure they have sustainable chemicals to allow continued growth and production of a
range of fruit and vegetables,” she says.
Products trialled under the project are reduced risk compounds, allowing growers to reduce reliance on older, less environmentally friendly chemicals and providing alternatives to compounds being removed from the market.
The combined annual value of the minor crop groups involved is over $665 million, with crops ranging from citrus and persimmons to kumara and celery. The SFF project began July 2011 and will finish June 2014.