Pollen import ban sought to save kiwifruit industry
Federated Farmers want a ban on pollen imports and an end to artificial pollination of kiwifruit after Psa was found in pollen samples.
Federated Farmers want a ban on pollen imports and an end to artificial pollination of kiwifruit after Psa was found in pollen samples.
Samples of kiwifruit pollen collected from the Bay of Plenty and South Auckland over the past two years contain the bacteria that cause vine canker.
The Government has announced a $50 million plan to fight the kiwifruit vine bacteria PSA and expects total losses from infection of $75 million over the next two years.
The Kiwifruit Industry Advisory Council has put together a grower support package which it will propose to Biosecurity Minister David Carter and other parties tomorrow.
Biosecurity Minister David Carter says hopes of eradicating the Psa disease are fading, with the number of infected orchards climbing.
The kiwifruit crisis in the Bay of Plenty is reaching new heights, with the number of stricken Te Puke orchards today doubling to eight. Another 82 are under investigation.
A fourth orchard in Te Puke has been confirmed with the kiwifruit vine-killing disease PSA. MAF is currently investigating 82 orchards in total.
As suspicions grow that Psa has spread to kiwfruit orchards outside the BOP, MAF says it's unlikely it will be able to eradicate the disease.
The Govt could learn today whether diseased kiwifruit vines will need to be destroyed, as leaves begin to wilt on the first properties reported.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is preparing to copper-spray kiwifruit orchards affected by the vine-killing Psa bacteria, despite reservations it could do more harm than good.
Spraying kiwifruit vines with copper spray in hopes of controlling the vine-killing bacteria PSA has been put on hold today as growers and experts discuss the consequences of the action.
A vine-killing disease threatening to cost NZ's kiwifruit industry hundreds of millions of dollars is spreading. Last night, 75 orchards were showing possible symptoms.
Seventy-five properties have made contact about possible Psa symptoms, with the Govt worried the disease may be far more widespread.
A round-up of information about the kiwifruit vine disease Psa.
The presence of the devastating kiwifruit disease Psa has been confirmed at a second kiwifruit orchard, and Zespri says it has received photos of potential symptoms of the bacterium at 43 orchards around the country.