A joint statement from Zespri and Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) in New Zealand has welcomed 'significant sponsorship' from leading rural bank ANZ National that is helping the global KVH/Zespri Psa Research and Development Programme in its battle against the disease.
According to the groups, Rabobank has also stepped in with a contribution to the programme, while further contributions have been made by the Te Puke Fruitgrowers Association, The Green Growers Association and Alto Packaging.
Dr David Tanner, Psa innovation manager at Zespri, said the sponsorships were a sign that the research programme was making progress as it seeks to establish a commercially viable pathway forward for the New Zealand kiwifruit industry, much of which has been devastated by the disease.
'It's great that NZ National and Rabobank are contributing to the R&D pathway out of Psa. From early on in the Psa crisis they have been clear in their support for the industry and for their grower clients who have had orchards hit by the disease,' Tanner explained. 'Zespri has recently announced the first step in a Psa recovery pathway, with the wide-scale release of a new Gold kiwifruit variety known as Gold3. Critical to the success of the recovery will be an ongoing commitment to R&D, which is also why support from these key industry partners is so welcome.'
Graham Turley, ANZ's national managing director agri and commercial, said the bank was committed to helping the industry pull through the Psa crisis, noting that the Research and Development Programme would help provide knowledge to manage future challenges. In addition, the bank has appointed a director for kiwifruit to ensure it remains in touch with the latest news from orchards and maintains a central base of Psa understanding.
And Ben Russell, CEO at Rabobank, said his group's contribution was part of its commitment to working with the sector in developing strategies to mitigate Psa.
'As a specialist in agribusiness, Rabobank understands the variables in agriculture and takes a long-term outlook in supporting clients through periods of difficulty, such as the Psa outbreak,' said Russell. 'Rabobank will continue to work closely with our clients, and with the kiwifruit sector as a whole, to achieve financial viability in the longer term.'
Reacting to the sponsorships, KVH chief executive Barry O'Neill said that support for the research programme had been encouraging for growers: 'These sponsorship initiatives are indicative of the goodwill amongst our stakeholders and their backing for our work to find Psa solutions that will return the kiwifruit industry to optimal health and production.'
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