Orchardists are furious trucks carting kiwifruit vines infected with the bacteria Psa have been passing their own healthy crops on their way to be buried.
Residents Angela and Meynell Dix were shocked when a friend - who had spoken to one of the truck drivers carrying out the work - told them infected vines were travelling from Te Puke past their Omanawa Rd orchard.
News the devastating airborne bacteria - which spreads from living or dead plant material - was anywhere near their 2ha Psa-free orchard, as well as others on the road, infuriated Mrs Dix.
"We weren't told at all, we had no consultation what so ever," she said. "It's really not good enough."
Omanawa Rd orchardist Chris Jensen agreed residents should have been consulted before any infected vines were brought into the area.
"I think they should have been a bit more transparent about it. It's almost like they've got something to hide."
Mr Jensen questioned why vines from Te Puke were being buried in the Kaimai area in the first place.
"I think if they're coming from Te Puke then they should be burying them in the Te Puke area."
Warren Jensen, another Omanawa Rd orchardist, said: "I think someone should have told us. I don't know if we could have done anything about it but at least we could have expressed our concerns."
General manager of Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) John Burke said the vines were being driven up Omanawa Rd and deep into a forestry area to be buried.
He said residents along the road were not informed "because we didn't feel that it was a risk at all".
However, Mr Burke said concerns from "four or five" residents over the fact Psa was an airborne disease and the trucks could crash or leak infected vines prompted the organisation to stop carting on Tuesday evening.
"We're reviewing what we do there in light of the concerns of residents. In the mean time we've stopped carting up Omanawa Rd."
Mr Burke said KVH was now considering an alternative route to get to the burial site, alternative burial sites and methods for disposing of the infected vines.
"We are exploring other options like incineration or alternative sites but there's a limited number of those."
Mr Burke said the alternative route to the site was "quite difficult".
He said a final decision on the route and burial site would be made within the next couple of days.
BY THE NUMBERS
141 orchards have tested positive for Psa
725 orchards have had negative test results
2267 emails have been sent to ZESPRI to report symptoms or no symptoms
952 emails with photos of symptoms (901 referred to MAF)
1315 emails to confirm their orchard is clear of symptoms
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