Kiwifruit orchard foreman Dave Trafford has stated that an early October frost has caused quite a lot of damage in the Ōmanawa orchard. While the cold snap brought snow to the South Island and isolated parts of the North, the cold air moved up. Unfortunately, it settled in the low-lying areas of this orchard and the vine was ‘just toasted’.
Trafford said their other orchards in Te Puke and Paengaroa had frost protection, including overhead sprinklers that saved the buds. It was there the attention was turned as the frost settled that early morning.
“It happened just after bud break. Most of the growth we had on the orchard was about two or three inches long and four or five leaves on that - and it all got singed.”
Trafford said there were stories he’d heard of an eight-hectare orchard that looked barren right the way through. He said it was hard to find people right across the Western Bay of Plenty who weren’t affected.
Source: nzherald.co.nz