Australian growers assess losses after Cyclone Debbie
Preliminary estimates of horticulture crops lost in the Bowen Gumlu region in Australia has been put at $1 million — about 20 per cent of the total crop planted over the season — but industry representatives say that is only part of the story.
Bowen Gumla Growers Association development officer Cherry Emerick said the main crops affected in the region have been tomatoes, capsicums, melons, eggplant, pumpkin and zucchinis.
She also said there was a good chance that some of the tomatoes might survive. "They definitely won’t have lost all of them — it might even be 50-50 — but it’s a waiting game,” she said.
Australia's Macadmia production was also affected by the cyclone according to Australian Macadamia Society CEO, Jolyon Burnett, even though it was too early to know the full extent of the costs.
“Overall, we expect the crop will be similar to last year (52,000 tonnes @ 10% moisture / 48,750 tonnes @ 3.5% moisture), with no major impact on quality as long as harvest can resume soon."
Heavy rain in the aftermath of Debbie has also affected kiwifruit in New Zealand where growers expect the harvest to be delayed in Tauranga after flooding.
"It's really not too good, this time of year we really need colder weather and drier conditions to move the fruit along," Papamoa kiwifruit grower Rob Thode said.
Mr Thode said kiwifruit growers needed cold nights and less rain so kiwifruit could begin producing more sugar and dry matter to become tasty enough to harvest.
"When it's very wet we can't harvest anything and then it takes the fruit a couple of days to recover from downpours," Mr Thode said.
source: nzherald.co.nz, weeklytimesnow.com.au, australian-macadmias.org
