The strong winds that lashed New Zealand this weekend have caused significant damage to some kiwifruit and avocado orchards in the Bay of Plenty. Also, cyclone Dovi caused flooding, downed trees and power outages.
Bay of Plenty orchardist Hugh Moore said some avocado trees were completely uprooted by the wind, while others had lost branches full of fruit. He said both new season fruit and the last of this season's crop have been impacted. Another orchardist in the area, Mark Hume, from Hume Pack-N-Cool, said it was a significant wind event.
New Zealand Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular said the industry had already been facing a difficult season, with softer demand in some export markets leaving growers struggling to get break-even prices. She added that, sadly, the large volume of fruit that has fallen on the ground would not be salvageable, partly because of food safety but also because much of it would be bruised.
Source: nzherald.co.nz
