The deadly bacteria was discovered on Russell West's Te Puke orchard. He said the whole experience was harrowing.
On Wednesday, as West was being prepped for a photo and video shoot he reminisced about those dark days.
Throwing his crutches on to the lawn - he had busted up his ankle a few days earlier on his orchard in the Hawke's Bay - and perched on a garden swing, he wanted to share.
''You know it was actually like this huge plane crash. It was tragic and a bloody big disaster.
''Some growers never made it out.''
The facts speak for themselves, grower incomes were reduced. Some to nothing. Orchard prices plummeted and as Stan Robb from PGG Wrightson says, he "couldn't sell a thing''.
In July 2011, leaders estimated Psa halved the value of the kiwifruit industry.
Scientists were immediately flown in from all over the country with some descending on West's property.
In a battle against time, they scrambled to find answers.
Luckily Zespri and Plant and Food Research had put SunGold G3 into trials and it proved tolerant against Psa.
In a major industry move which signalled the death of Hort 16A - it was annihilated.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chairman Doug Brown, who also lost 25 per cent of his total crop to Psa, summed it up perfectly.
''We cut its throat.''
From then on the comeback was amazing.
Later this month, Zespri global kiwifruit sales are expected to near $3 billion - nearly double that of 2011.
For the first time, gold kiwifruit volumes will outstrip green and Zespri has nudged its way into nearly 60 markets worldwide.
Last month Zespri staff moved into phase one of a new $40 million state of the art building which also houses New Zealand Growers Inc and Kiwifruit Vine Health.
Orchard prices have more than doubled since the disaster, packhouse profits are breaking records and grower returns have jumped.
Now the only threat it seems lies in a chronic seasonal labour shortage or another biosecurity disaster.
But if the industry leaders, growers and workers that I have met and interviewed are anything to go by I think they will meet these challenges.
They are all a resilient bunch. They know the risks associated with horticulture. They have learnt some hard lessons. And now they are leading the world in kiwifruit marketing, research and innovation.
To say everything is as good as gold may not be entirely accurate but actions speak louder than words - in my view, this all signifies an industry that just gets on and does it despite the circumstances.
