Seeka provides this market update on PSA-V.
The Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) 8th August 2012 PSA Statistics are included
with this update. Across the Industry, 1245 orchards (representing 6478
hectares) have PSA-V identified and confirmed as present on their orchard as
at 8 August 2012. The orchards represent 47% of the New Zealand kiwifruit
industry by hectares. 85% of orchards in the Te Puke catchment are confirmed
as infected and it is likely that all orchards have some degree of infection.
100% of the gold orchards in Te Puke have been infected to some extent with
the majority either removed or grafted to a new variety.
PSA-V is confirmed as being present in Franklin, Waihi, Katikati, Tauranga,
Te Puke, Whakatane, Opotiki and Te Kaha. At this stage Coromandel, Northland,
Poverty Bay, Hawkes Bay and the South Island are all PSA free.
The Industry has embarked on a recovery pathway for gold orchards through the
release of the Zespri cultivars G3 and G14, which are believed to be PSA-V
tolerant, and the continuing tolerance of the Hayward variety to the disease.
Across the Industry, approximately 2,000 hectares has been grafted to the G3
variety alone.
Orchard monitoring by Seeka over the last week has detected some further
material presence of PSA-V symptoms in Hayward male plants and some symptoms
in females. It has also detected further symptoms of PSA-V in G3 across all
age groups. While a level of detections may be expected, it is too early to
tell what the significance of these current detections is. They are in any
event an unwelcome development.
Seeka continues to caution the market that the outbreak which is now in its
second year has the potential to seriously impact on future earnings for the
Company. The significance of recent detections will only be confirmed as
spring continues.
For further information please contact
Michael Franks
021 356 516
End CA:00225893 For:SEK Type:GENERAL Time:2012-08-13 17:00:04