Call to kill PSA

Photo / Alan Gibson

Kiwifruit marketing company Zespri says it would like to see the Government try to eradicate kiwifruit vine-killing disease PSA - but admits that may not be possible.

Says manager of corporate and grower services Carol Ward: "Whether that is technically feasible, not only from the number of orchards but also what method given it's an airborne bacteria, can you actually do it?"

But, adds Ward, if anyone can beat it, New Zealand can even though other countries such as Italy, France, Portugal, Japan, Korea and China have never succeeded.

Four orchards in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty, have confirmed cases of PSA or Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae.

Another 70 test results from around the country are expected tonight which she hopes will give a clearer picture of how widespread the disease is.

Yesterday eight orchards, all within 10km of each other, were in quarantine.

- NZPA