Kiwifruit growers have suffered another blow to their incomes with the cold snap experienced in the region over the last few days.

However, according to Zespri spokesperson Andrea Brady, the actual losses are likely to be comparatively small when the broader picture is taken into account.
'There seem to have been a bout 20 to 30 orchards affected to varying degrees. Some of them had frost protection measures that didn't entirely protect them. But some of the temperatures were very cold. There were some places on Saturday where it got down to minus four degrees.”
Andrea says the affected orchards covered a large area that included Te Puke, Katikati, Coromandel and Waikato.
'It is a bit early for estimates – it will take a couple of days before many growers can tell exactly what their losses are. This is of course a high risk time of the year.”
President of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers, Peter Ombler says that growers in the Bay of Plenty are always at risk when there is snow on the Desert Road.
'We had a cold winter this year and when the wind blows from that direction you will get frost problems over here.”