New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority is considering phasing out the use of hydrogen cyanamide over the next five years. This chemical is used in Hi-Cane, a spray used by kiwifruit growers to help buds form. The compound is banned in Europe and is under review in the US.
EPA Hazardous Substances group general manager Dr Chris Hill said while the authority accepted there were economic benefits from hydrogen cyanamide use, new information suggested these were outweighed by the environmental risks and adverse health effects.
However, New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Colin Bond said was important tool for growers and many kiwifruit orchards, in particular in warmer areas, would be uneconomic without it.
Rnz.co.nz quoted him as saying: "Not being able to use it would be significant but it's too early to say at this point how big an impact it would have on yields.“
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