Kiwifruit disease spreads

Photo / Thinkstock

Agriculture Minister David Carter is appealing for state aid for kiwifruit growers after tests showed the vine-killing disease Psa had been detected in the South Island.

Mr Carter confirmed that the bacterium, first found in Te Puke, had now been identified in Motueka and Golden Bay.

Earlier yesterday, the disease was confirmed in Hawkes Bay and Whakatane.

Mr Carter met Prime Minister John Key and Finance Minister Bill English last night to ask for funding after the kiwifruit industry made "a very compelling case that urgent action was required".

"This is a extremely important export earner for New Zealand and they are dealing with a very severe disease," he said.

Growers had asked for compensation for lost earnings and financial assistance for the management of the disease.

Affected orchardists faced cash shortfalls next season.

With the disease now detected in orchards from the Bay of Plenty to Nelson, eradication was highly unlikely. The Government was taking an approach of "aggressive containment", Mr Carter said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said the full spread of Psa was not yet known, and with 100 orchards awaiting test results the total number was likely to rise.

Zespri chief Lain Jager stressed that less than 1 per cent of orchard areas were hit and New Zealand still had a viable kiwifruit industry. Exports had not been affected.

He also said the disease was not spreading rapidly and the number of confirmed cases was due to wider testing of key areas.

NUMBERS

28 cases confirmed
22 in Te Puke
2 in Whakatane/Edgecumbe
2 in Hawkes Bay
1 in Motueka
1 in Golden Bay