Avocado growers in New Zealand’s Northland are counting the costs from storm activity in the region this week.
The area produces around 35 per cent of New Zealand’s national avocado crop with, with the majority of production centred around the city of Whangaeri. It is believed production in the country’s other key growing region, the Bay of Plenty, was unscathed by the storm damage.
The New Zealand industry had been buoyant about the upcoming 2014/15 season, with early indications suggesting export volumes could top 5m trays, on the back of a record crop.
Midge Munro of peak industry body New Zealand Avocado said it was too early to determine what impact the storm damage would have on export programmes, with a crop estimate to be taken once the weather settles. She admitted there had already been some reports of fruit loss and tree damage, ranging from broken branches to total loss of trees.
“Some growers say the damage on their orchard is not too bad and others say that it is significant, the level of damage is not consistent across the region, those that are exposed to the east are worst affected,” Munro told Asiafruit.
Northland grower Sue Culham supported Munro’s claim, telling Radio New Zealand that some of the region’s growers had lost 50 trees, while others had avoided large-scale damage. Culham estimated she had lost 15 per cent of her crop but warned that number could rise.
“Its the ongoing damage that we're not sure of,” Culham said. “You can look a month out and the stems will be damaged on the fruit, the fruit itself will be damaged, the trees will probably drop the fruit because they've had a lot of damage to their roots.”
Munro said some growers who had put safety measures in place after a similar storm in 2007 had fared well during the recent weather activity.
