Growers bracing for more hail

Orchard manager Rehua Smallman inspects the ruined kiwifruit crop after the recent hailstorm in Welcome Bay. Photo / George Novak

Western Bay growers are bracing for more hail strikes - less than a week after a freak storm caused $3.5 million worth of crop damage.

Seeka chief executive Michael Franks said six Seeka orchards damaged by the hail storm last Thursday had been written off by the insurance companies at a cost of 450,000 trays of kiwifruit. Of those orchards two thirds were the green Hayward variety.

"So many flowers have been knocked off and so many leaves have been shredded the assessor doesn't believe they can carry a commercial crop."

Going off Zespri's October 2014 forecast, which said returns for green kiwifruit, per tray, would be $5.71 the six growers would have lost more than $2.5 million.

Trevelyan's Pack and Cool grower services manager Ashley Lee said the damage from last week's hail strike was not widespread but those who were affected had suffered significant loss.

He said Kairua Rd appeared to be the epicentre of the hail strike with a 15ha orchard being written off.

The orchard could lose more than $850,000.

Marita Ranclaud, who oversees three orchards owned by whanau trusts, said the hail storm was "far more damaging" than she originally thought.

Image 1 of 24: Jennifer Kerr sent in this photo of Xander and Lily Kerr

All three orchards had been written off by insurance assessors.

The hail predicted this week "could not do much more damage than it has already" but growers remained on edge, she said.

"Any time there's fruit on the vine it's [hail] always a concern. Mr Franks said such fierce hail strikes were unusual but there was nothing growers could do to protect their orchards. "It's just a day in the life of being a grower."

A canopy, similar to a hail net, erected over one Western Bay orchard saved the crop from serious damage although the pressure was almost too much.