Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
KVH has a responsibility under the National Psa-V Pest Management Plan (NPMP) to ensure that kiwifruit orchards meet required management standards.
The owners of a small Tauranga orchard have decided to lease it to a pollen producing company, and so meet KVH requirements around orchard management.
Owners were in limbo after the small Hayward orchard had only returned a profit in two years out of the last seven. It remained unpicked and unpruned and so in breach of KVH requirements that kiwifruit orchards be picked by 1 July; pruned and tied down (female vines) by 1 October yearly; and a crop protection product, effective against Psa-V, applied at least yearly.
Within a few weeks of KVH involvement vines were cut back to the trunks and grafted with male scion wood. All unpicked fruit and canes were mulched. The trunks have remained on the property for later disposal (burning or burial).
The unpicked fruit were a definite problem as birds were feeding upon it and potentially spreading seed into nearby forest or bush areas. The orchard could have been a source of Psa inoculum effecting nearby orchards.
KVH appreciates the cooperation of all concerned to swiftly remedy the unmanaged state of the orchard.
If you are aware of any unmanaged or abandoned kiwifruit orchards, please contact KVH. Amicable solutions are often possible.
KVH investigates reports of unusual symptoms to identify and manage any biosecurity risks.
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