A new analysis of the damage to apple orchards in Hawke’s Bay shows nearly half of the crop was affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in one way or another.
New Zealand Apples and Pears has been collating data from the region’s 150 growers over the past few weeks and comparing satellite images to quantify the damage.
Chairman Richard Punter said 47 per cent of the crop had been affected, with the level of damage being broken down into three categories.
Category one was orchards that have been completely destroyed, the trees and infrastructure was gone and they were going to require complete redevelopment.
Category two was orchards that have been completely submerged and had deep silt through them which will result in significant tree death.
Punter said those two categories combined were about 25 per cent of the planted area in Hawke’s Bay, or around 2100 hectares.
“The reason we are combining those two categories is because, although category two might still look like orchards, the trees will probably die so we are regarding them as not savable.”
The third category was being classed as “workable” which means the orchards will have a reduced crop percentage, they have had water through them, and the trees are waterlogged but some of the fruit is salvageable.
Punter said around 1800 hectares sit under category three - so all up the impacted hectares was about 3900.
Produce - including apples, onions, pumpkins and pineapples - rotting at Napier Beach's shore on February 20. Photo / RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati
But he said it was too early to put a monetary value on the damage as it will depend on which varieties had been affected the most and how much fruit actually ended up being sold.
“The good news is that 53 per cent of the orchards in Hawke’s Bay are not affected which is about 4400 hectares. Those apples are being picked, packed and prepared for export.
“It’s great seeing apples still being prepared for export because when the first photos came through it felt like everything had been wiped out.”
Punter said some international buyers had been in touch to ask about the impact on orders.
“We respond to them by saying you’ve always had a high-quality crop out of New Zealand and that’s what you’re going to get this year.
“Because you’ve got to remember we still have growing regions outside of Hawke’s Bay that are not affected by this; Nelson, Marlborough, Southland, South Canterbury, and other parts of the North Island crop.”
Punter said if anything, the damage would actually push up the price of higher value varieties as demand was still there.
