Hail storm leaves slim pickings for orchards

Hastings orchardist Ian Mardon in his orchard with Envy apples hit by a hail storm which hit the property last month. Most on one block will have to be juiced. Photo/Warren Buckland

Some orchards between Napier and Hastings are counting large losses after a hail storm swept through the area a week before Christmas.

Although devastating for some orchardists, the loss is expected to be offset industry-wide due to the impacts of last year's drought, meaning that while quantities of apples in upcoming harvests are expected to be down on last year's record figures there will be good-sized fruit.

It will be well received in such markets as Asia and the US where bigger fruit is more popular, said Pipfruit New Zealand technical manager Dr Mike Butcher.

One estimate this week was that the hail could cut upwards of 500,000 cartons from the export crop, but Dr Butcher, having just returned to work and with details not yet available, said: "I doubt whether it would be that much".

The late-afternoon December 18 hailstorm cut a trail from Twyford and the northern outskirts of Hastings, through the Waipatu area towards Haumoana.

In some blocks, almost all fruit was destroyed as export product, and in one case relief labour was sought to pick a crop in the hope it could be used at least for juicing.

One such orchardist hit by the hail is Ian Mardon, who said over 90 per cent of the apples on one of the family's blocks, off Morley Rd and near the Ngaruroro River, were destroyed - a volume estimated at over 16,000 cartons. In some cases there were 13-15 pelt marks per apple.

It's expected to be worth only 6 cents a carton, which wouldn't make the block break even.

There was no hail insurance, because hail is a rarity in the area. Mr Mardon said there had been nothing like it in the 13 years he'd been working the block, which was partly hit by frost last season.

"I doubt whether it will happen to us again," he said, adding the returns from another block which had only minor damage would offset some of the loss.

"It was looking like a dream year, but that's the industry we're in. We'll break even, but it means there's nothing to buy the new tractor, the new machinery ... "

A neighbouring orchardist's block was at least as heavily hit and Mr Mardon was aware of other blocks which had widespread fruit damage.

Dr Butcher said growers had recovered from the drought.

"The impact from the drought has been felt in slightly lower fruit numbers, but fruit will be larger," he said.

"It's shaping up to be quite a good season."