According to the New Zealand Apples and Pears association, which has started the damage assessment for the pome fruit sector, the impact of Hurricane Gabrielle has been immense. In the Hawkes Bay and Tairawhiti regions, the damage varies in severity, and in some areas, producers deplore total losses (infrastructure, houses, orchards).

 

Other growing areas are less affected and some were not. A significant number of orchards were spared by the cyclone. With picking having already begun for early apple varieties, these areas will continue to harvest and pack their fruit for export and the domestic market.

 

For the farmers and producers affected by the cyclone, financial assistance is essential to pay for staff (permanent or seasonal), to start the clean-up, for the measures to be taken immediately to ensure the future viability of the orchards. To this end, the New Zealand government announced this week the provision of a first tranche of financial aid of 25 million NZD (15.5 million USD).