Whangarei region status: Containment

As of 20 January 2020, there are nine confirmed Psa positive orchards in Whangarei, affecting 15% of the region’s orchards and 22% of hectares. The current status of the whole region is Containment (there are no Controlled Area Notices applicable to this region).

Growing regions are classified as Exclusion, Containment or Recovery, based on the level of Psa infection. As such, no further considerations for change in status for the Whangarei region will be made until at least 35% of the region’s hectares are affected by Psa and the infection is widespread across the region. If these criteria are met, a meeting will be held with growers to discuss options before decisions are made by the KVH Board, taking into consideration KVH’s responsibilities and what is in the best interest of the region’s growers.

Although Whangarei is a Containment region, there are still a large number of Not Detected orchards and large areas where no Psa positive orchards have been confirmed. KVH has a responsibility under the National Pest Management Plan (NPMP) to growers to limit the spread of Psa into and within the region, and where possible to reduce the distribution of Psa. Movement control policies outlined in KVH protocols assist with these aims. The main ones are summarised below but there are also requirements in other KVH Protocols.

• Harvest Bins: Post-harvest operators should be aware that there are restrictions around the movement of harvest bins into the region from the North Island Recovery region – dedicated and clearly identified bins are required. They must be sanitised and free of any kiwifruit plant material before being reused. These bins must not have been used in a Recovery region in the current season. KVH will audit this process. Refer to the KVH Protocol: Fruit Bins.
  
• Nursery plants: All nursery plants must be sourced from nurseries with “full certification plants” that are located in the Whangarei Containment region or an Exclusion region (South Island or Far North) as per the KVH Protocol: Nursery Stock and Propagation Material used by Nurseries.
  
• Budwood: This can be sourced from within the same region from Not Detected orchards, or from Exclusion regions – but only from those who have registered with KVH as a budwood supplier and have met the requirements in the KVH Protocol: Budwood.