Heavy rain hits cherry crop and threatens grapevines

The heavy rain that hit Hawkes Bay at the weekend could not have come at a worse time for grape and cherry growers.

The rain has split much of the early cherry crop just a few days before it was due to be harvested.

Grower Brian Fulford said as much as 70 per cent of their early variety had been split and they would make a decision in a few days whether to pick any of it.

Later varieties planned for Christmas seem to be unaffected so far, he said.

He wouldn't put a dollar figure on their loss. "It's too depressing. The rain couldn't have come at a worse time."

Stonefruit and apples have not been affected yet.

Although hail appears to have been widespread throughout the fruit-growing areas, it was too small and slushy to cause harm.

Hawkes Bay's vineyards don't seem to have had hail damage, but grape growers are anxious about the ongoing rain.

"It is the worst possible weather for flowering," said Chris Howell, president of Hawkes Bay Grape Growers.

It exposed vines to the risk of fungal disease later in the season.

On the upside, the unseasonable colder temperatures made it harder for botrytis to become established in the vulnerable grape flowers.

Some wine sub-regions were not hit too hard by the rain.

Mr Howell said only 23mm had fallen on his Maraekakaho Rd block over the weekend, and wind had helped dry the vineyard quickly.

- NZPA