The vine-killing bacteria Psa may one day be `just another' disease on kiwifruit orchards and not the destructive infection it is today, Zespri CEO Lain Jager told the marketer's annual meeting in Tauranga this week.

That is thanks to recent breeding successes with new, more Psa tolerant cultivars.

Zespri CEO Lain Jager.

'Research has identified elite parents and individuals that have very good tolerance to Psa. Crosses from these elite parents were undertaken in October to produce new seedlings this year.

'From these seedlings we hope to identify new cultivars with superior Psa tolerance, as well as outstanding taste, storage and improved yield.

Lain says the breeding team is very optimistic about the progress being made and one day hope to make Psa 'just another disease' that growers need to manage”.

The discovery of Psa in New Zealand had underscored the risk associated with new varieties, but Lain says bringing new products into the market is critically important.

'On-going investment into new kiwifruit cultivars remains a key strategic imperative for Zespri to generate superior returns to New Zealand kiwifruit growers in the long-term.”

Zespri chairman John Loughlin says 20 months on from the biggest biological crisis to face the industry, much has been achieved, but growers needed to steel themselves for the undoubted challenges ahead.

'Last year, when I addressed this group, I said I was confident a management solution to Psa would be found within the next two to four years and the industry would quickly regain lost momentum and return to the long-term goal of tripling export returns to $3billion by a date soon after 2025.

'Today, I believe the management solution will not be a single answer, but that it remains the case that a combination of elements will offer viable solutions and the industry's long-term future is very bright.”

The next few months of grafting to new varieties will be critical for the industry, says John.

'There is plenty of hard work to come, but I am confident the traits of unity, resolve and innovation which define this industry will get us through these tough times.

'Responding to a crisis is often the truest test of character and it has been a privilege to witness so many in the industry not panic, or seek cynical opportunism, but instead put their heads down, roll up their sleeves and give everything to addressing the problem in front of them.”