While most of New Zealand's exports move by sea, the continuing activity of a remote volcano half a world away is still having an impact here - but by how much is not known.Export New Zealand, a division of Business NZ, said some exporters were suffering
While most of New Zealand’s exports move by sea, the continuing activity of a remote volcano half a world away is still having an impact here - but by how much is not known.
Export New Zealand, a division of Business NZ, said some exporters were suffering being unable to move perishable goods to European markets.
However, executive director Catherine Beard said it was impossible to quantify the impact on New Zealand exporters at least now.
Last week a volcano in southern Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier began erupting for the second time in a month. Plumes of ash were sent several kilometres into the air with winds pushing the plume south and east across the UK and into the heart of Europe.
As a result, air travel has shut down with restrictions only just starting to lift for some outgoing flights.
Ms Beard said for New Zealand overall, the impact of the volcano was likely to be relatively small, although some individual exporters would be hurting.
Many exporters of air freighted perishable goods worked in markets closer to New Zealand in Asia, the US and Australia, and were unaffected by the volcanic activity in Iceland.
Yet, there are reports of hundreds of New Zealanders stranded in Europe unable to return home after their flights were cancelled, many stuck in transit in between.
Thousands of flights across Europe have been cancelled in recent days with millions of passengers reportedly affected. Some stuck in transit have been told they might have to wait weeks before seats can be found for them.
