Western Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry rejoices at much-needed cold snap

Temperatures in the Western Bay of Plenty have plummeted - and the kiwifruit industry couldn't be happier.

People woke to just 6C at the Tauranga Airport yesterday morning, and temperatures were expected to be much cooler further inland. Overnight, temperatures were expected to reach as low as 4C. The temperatures were among the coolest of the past month.

However, Niwa's principal scientist for forecasting Chris Brandolino said the coldest days were still to come.

"Yes, it's going to be a chilly week, particularly Wednesday morning. That will have an impact with frosts, etc, but as we work our way towards the end of the week temperatures will head towards above [normal] ... perhaps at the cost of rain."

Brandolino said warmer temperatures would creep back to the Western Bay from this weekend for four to five days.

MetService meteorologist April Clark said a robust southerly flow was travelling up the country and no one would escape the cold winds that came with it.

The trend was moving from the south and would begin easing as it moved northward, she said. Temperatures were expected to affect the North Island by today. A Seeka spokeswoman said they were delighted by the arrival of the cold snap.

"This week looks perfect. It's cold but the sun is shining, and it will be a good picking week for us," she said.

Seeka has already picked kiwifruit from orchards considered to be most at-risk from frosts.

"We are pleased to see this weather. It raises the brix (sugar) level in the fruit and ... shuts down the vine. You need that, so the fruit matures. It's exactly what we've been wanting, although it's coming a little bit later than what we've been waiting for."

Kiwifruit grower Rob Thode said May had been "unusually warm" which made this harvest a bit more nervewracking.

"We needed it [the cold snap]. The brix level of the industry has been quite low. We actually needed the cold to move the sugar levels on the fruit so we can complete harvest.

"Obviously there's a risk of frost damage, but most orchards have frost protection."

Thode said the cold would also help chill next season's harvest and "clean out the pests from orchards as well, which is a good thing".

"We need a good week like this week for harvest. There's still a lot of fruit to come off."

A long-term forecast predicts fine weather all week before rain on Sunday and into next week. Temperatures are expected to reach as low as 4C and as high as 16C this week.