Mānuka honey is produced by bees foraging on nectar from mānuka trees, which are indigenous to both countries.

However, the New Zealand-based Mānuka Honey Appellation Society (MHAS) argues that “mānuka” is a Māori word with a special significance for the country’s indigenous people.

It also claims that the term “mānuka honey” was not used by Australian honey producers until it became a lucrative export for their New Zealand counterparts.

Despite having “considerable sympathy” for its arguments, the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand this week ruled against a trademark application brought by MHAS.

The Australian Manuka Honey Association (AMHA), which objected to the application, welcomed the “sensible outcome”, ABC reports.