Prevar, a firm that releases new apples and pears bred in New Zealand, is close to arranging for some of New Zealand's newest cultivars to be commercially grown and sold in Australia.
The Australian apple and pear growers organisation is a partner in Prevar, along with Pipfruit New Zealand and Plant & Food Research, which breeds the new varieties.
New Zealand-grown apples remain locked out of Australia until new import rules are put in place by the biosecurity service there.
None of the new pipfruit varieties released by Prevar are being commercially grown in Australia yet, but chief executive Brett Ennis has indicated that may not be far off.
