Royal Gala apples will still be stocked on supermarket shelves next season, despite some orchards being damaged in Nelson and Hawke's Bay.
Growers noticed blemishes on some of their fruit after crops were sprayed with a product containing a fungicide.
The product supplier, Adama New Zealand, has since recalled that particular spray.
Adama said it won't know the full extent of the damage until closer to harvest in February and March.
Pipfruit CEO Alan Pollard said the incident is likely to hurt the growers more than anyone else.
He said initial reports suggest 180 hectares of crops have been affected by the product.
"It's not enough to result in a shortage of apples on supermarket shelves, but could be a financial blow for the growers involved.
"In the context of the New Zealand crop, it's a very small impact, however for some smaller individual growers, it could be a significant impact."
It is still unknown how the crop was sprayed with the fungicide, but no fruit has been recalled from shelves.
Source: newstalkzb.co.nz
