Stonefruit growers in New Zealand’s Marlborough region are keeping a wary eye on the weather, with a wet start to spring potentially causing problems for pollination.
“It is a critical and stressful time of the year when weather can affect the whole crop,” said Murray Neal, owner of Marlborough’s largest grower of apricots, peaches and nectarines Primac Horticulture.
The recent rain is not unexpected in light of the last four to five years, he told the Marlborough Express.
“We have had extreme frosts and also some very long dry periods,” he said. “As long as the temperatures during this time stays above zero degrees we are okay. Below zero for 20 minutes is all the buds can handle.”
New Zealand exports around 40 per cent of its stonefruit crop. Cherries and apricots are the main export lines.
The country exported 1.3m kg of cherries during the 2009/10 season, and 1.49m kg of apricots, according to peak body Summerfruit New Zealand.
