The kiwifruit industry is worth millions of dollars to the Bay of Plenty region and the financial impact of Psa is sending a ripple effect through communities.

Growers are pulling back on spending, which is creating job losses and taking money out of the economy.

Tauranga orchard worker Rob Fenton is struggling to find work since the end of the kiwifruit season.

'Growers are just not spending the money on their orchards. 'With the thought of Psa wiping out their orchard, they're reluctant to spend money until they know for sure what is going to happen.”

Since the end of the season, growers have stopped spending as much money as they normally would on orchard maintenance after the fruit has been picked says Rob. 'I have put my name down on at just about every place I can think of for work. I apply for jobs every day, but have had no success so far.

He says he has managed to pick up a days work here and there, but needs more than that.

'At the moment my life is in limbo. I am waiting on a few things to come up, but there are no guarantees.”

Kiwifruit is the Bay's biggest industry; it brought in a staggering $377.9 million to Te Puke area alone in the 2010/2011 season – figures of the total fruit and service payments made by Zespri for the supply of kiwifruit.

The town is now the middle of the Psa Priority Zone.

A total of 307 orchards have tested positive for PSA, with 267 being in the Te Puke region.

'It's just uncertain times at the moment. Everyone is pessimistic about the future of the kiwifruit industry,” says Rob.

Rob worked as a tractor driver on the orchards and says he would usually pick maintenance work on orchards at this time of the season.

'I love being outdoors and working with my hands.”

He has three children, who he has every second weekend.

'I need money to be able to buy things for them.

'At the moment, I live at mums and do what I can to help out around the house and even help her out at work when she needs it.”

Rob says this is only a temporary measure and he's working on getting full-time employment.

He says he doesn't care what type of work he does, as long as it's outdoors and working with his hands.