Hawke’s Bay kiwifruit grower heartened to see crops growing after cyclone

Orchardist Ratahi Cross on his kiwifruit orchard in Puketapu, which is showing signs of life again. Photo / Paul Taylor

A Hawke’s Bay kiwifruit grower says signs of life appearing on his hard-hit orchard following Cyclone Gabrielle has given him hope.

Ngāi Tukairangi Trust has eight kiwifruit and apple orchards around Hawke’s Bay, most of which were flooded during the February cyclone.

Its worst-hit orchard was a 22-hectare kiwifruit orchard in Puketapu, right next to the Tūtaekurī River, which was seemingly destroyed by the floods.

Trust chairman Ratahi Cross said about a third of the orchard’s kiwifruit crops were showing greenery again.

“It was a big surprise,” he said.

“[The silt] was half a metre deep in places - it was an absolute shocker - and we expected to lose the orchard, but some of the plants were able to breathe through the soil.

“We lost about two-thirds of the orchard, which was to be understood, but there is a third of it hanging in there.

Ratahi Cross' family has been involved in orchards around Hawke's Bay for 50 years. Photo / Paul Taylor

“When you see something that’s trying to stay alive, it gives you hope.”

He said despite being the worst-hit orchard it “has shown a spark of life”.

“It’s my belief it is the way of reflecting what our Hawke’s Bay people are like - if there is a spark of life, there is hope, and we will carry on.

“And that is the feeling I get from that orchard.”

In terms of the surviving plants, he said “I reckon we will get a little bit of a harvest” from those plants in February and March.

Cross’ family has managed orchards for 50 years across three generations in Hawke’s Bay.

Most of the orchard was destroyed by the floods and is being redeveloped. Photo / Warren Buckland

Cross said it had been a difficult eight months since the cyclone, due in part to the large financial toll, but they were focused on rebuilding.

“We are in there now redeveloping that [Puketapu] orchard and putting all the infrastructure in place,” he said of the majority of the site.

“We will have new plants in there before next season.”

He said they hoped to have a good harvest again in 2026.

Cross said people had advised him to get rid of the crops which were showing signs of life, but he would always reply, “No, it is alive.”

He said he would even sometimes talk to the plants while walking through the orchard.

“It’s a crazy thing, but we do it. I will go for a walk in the orchard and have a chat to the plants, and I know I’m not the only one who does that.”

The orchard was visited by the now-outgoing Prime Minister following the cyclone to provide a clear picture of the devastation caused to Hawke’s Bay growers.