Figgery sustains 'major' loss from rain

Te Mata Figs chef Shannon Telford upgrades rain-affected figs into a confectionary after poaching, roasting and dipping them in chocolate. Photo/Paul Taylor

Te Mata Figs has lost half of the volume expected from suppliers due to persistent wet weather.

"The loss is quite major," owner Murray Douglas said.

The figgery's online outlet for fresh figs has been temporarily closed and staff busy processing figs below the standard required for the fresh fig market.

"Figs require drought so rain is a problem. One or two days in a row is not a problem - you just lose the [ripe] figs for that day - but when you get persistent bad weather with humidity it gives little time for the orchard to recover."

Some fig varieties had not produced at all due the timing of the rain.

The Havelock North figgery was inundated with second-grade figs cosmetically damaged from brief rain earlier this week, which was processed into fig products.

Persistent wet weather caused figs to split and, if it was also humid, fungus took hold.

"We have had a very tough period with some of our cultivars not producing at all. We have literally dropped tonnes of figs on the ground. It is really depressing when that happens because it is all over the ground and it really stinks.

"The good thing is when you get two or three days of good weather we are back in business - figs grow over a three month period - unlike grape growers who lose the whole crop."