Road signs are being placed on key roads leading into the wider Te Puke region as part of a community education campaign to reduce the risk of the kiwifruit vine killing disease Psa spreading to other regions.

Carrying the message: ‘Prevent Psa Disease on Kiwifruit Orchards: Control Plant Movement', the six road signs will be up from Friday.

The road signs follow restrictions announced today by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, which prohibit the movement of any kiwifruit nursery stock out of a designated controlled area surrounding Te Puke.

Kiwifruit Vine Health general manager John Burke says the signs were a visible reminder to the kiwifruit industry and the wider surrounding community of the need to control the movement of kiwifruit plant material out of the region to stop the spread of Psa.

'We know that one of the main causes of the spread of Psa is the movement of plant material.

'With the virulent type of Psa, known as Psa-V, predominantly confined to the wider Te Puke region we want to ensure that Psa-V does not infect other kiwifruit growing regions in the Bay of Plenty and wider New Zealand,” says John.

Plant material includes kiwifruit vines, leaves, root stock and budwood.

John says kiwifruit industry truck drivers and fruit transporters were well aware all loads must be secured and covered.

He says it is important other contractors, who use material on orchards such as pruning and cutting equipment, are aware they need to check and clean their equipment of plant material after use.

'Our message to the industry is to check and clean your vehicles and equipment and control any plant movement.

'We also need the wider community to be aware of the need to control plant movement out of the Te Puke region. Something as simple as taking a cutting of a kiwifruit plant to a keen gardener outside of Te Puke may inadvertently spread Psa-V.”