Physical Factors
Northland
Northland kiwifruit growers started their 2002/03 growing season with good flower numbers, despite the apparently low amount of winter chilling shown by the measures conventionally used.
Lack of rain from January to March meant irrigation was very important. Harvest was delayed by unusually late fruit maturity. Traditional maturity levels for green fruit were not reached until mid-May. Development of the yellow flesh colour was late and variable in the gold variety.
The 2003 harvest was not complete at the time of compiling this report. Yields of the green variety appear higher than 2002 yields but fruit size is smaller. Yields of the gold variety appear very variable but fruit size is larger than in 2002.
Fruit is showing high levels of dry matter, an indication of good eating quality. The presence of Fuller's rose weevil, a quarantine pest of particular significance for gaining fruit access to Japan, is a problem and growers will do more banding to restrict weevil access onto fruit next season.
Auckland
Spring frosts caused damage to some orchards in South Auckland, reducing 2003 yields. Cool spring weather also impaired pollination resulting in some fruit shape problems.
The dry conditions during much of the growing season were counteracted by intensive irrigation and the timing of some of the rain was fortunate. Harvest was late due to delayed fruit maturity.
Yields are variable with some orchards having higher and some having lower yields than in 2002. Fruit size is also variable. The Auckland orchards are quite widely dispersed which increases variability due to local climate and soil differences.
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty growing season for the 2003 kiwifruit crop began with good numbers of flowers on many orchards. However, spring was cold and frosts caused damage on a significant number of kiwifruit orchards during one or more of three major frosts. One orchard recorded 24 nights when the temperature sensors alerted frost was likely. The frosts caused direct crop loss through flower buds being frozen and dropping off. In addition, the cold affected flower parts causing misshapen fruit. Fruit was slow to size due to reduced leaf area, after leaves were frozen and dropped off the vines. Some of the orchards frosted were in areas prone to frost, but a number of orchards were affected by frost for the first time in 20 years of growing kiwifruit.
Early summer was dry with little rain for six weeks between mid-January and late February following less than usual rain in November and December.
The warm and wet autumn delayed fruit maturity. Therefore, harvest is later than usual with blocks awaiting maturity clearance to begin harvest.
Many orchards that were not frosted have carried a good yield in 2003. Those affected by frost have a lower yield. However, the non-frosted parts of orchards partially affected by frost have better yields than expected.
To combat Fuller's rose weevil, many orchards installed physical barriers of tape covered with sticky gel to stop the weevils walking up the vine trunks onto the vines where they lay their eggs on the fruit. A payment incentive for fruit meeting Japanese market entry standards has provided a spur to doing this work.
Girdling to increase fruit size was widely used again this year and fruit size is generally good. Growers also used the fruit size enhancer on the gold variety with more success apparent this year than last.
At the time this report was written in late May, harvest was not complete. The model orchard yield used provisionally for the 2003 harvest is 6,100 trays/ha of the green variety and 7,500 trays/ha of the gold variety. This is about the same as the 2002 yield for green and 4% above the 2002 yield of 7,200 trays/ha for gold.
Gisborne
In Gisborne, a very cool spring with a string of frosts has been the main feature of the growing season for the 2003 crop. The frosts caused crop loss on a few orchards in cooler areas. The season has generally been later than 2002. Harvest was delayed by late fruit maturity and unsettled weather, as the fruit must be dry when picked. Around half the Hayward (green) variety from the district was harvested for early shipping to market. This early harvest fruit is packed in the Bay of Plenty, mainly Opotiki, and a number of Gisborne orchards are now owned by Bay of Plenty interests.
Production is expected to be down by about 15% for the district. The yields of both the green and gold varieties appear to be below 5,000 trays/ha this year, which is relatively low and a consequence of the poor spring. District production is split with about 75% green and 25% gold varieties.
Hawke's Bay
Spring frosts and generally cold spring weather had a major impact in Hawke's Bay with district yields in 2003 expected to be 30% lower than 2002, and fruit size is expected to be smaller. Even some orchards with frost protection suffered from the spring conditions. Frosts were still occurring at pollination, which resulted in fruit shape problems and small fruit size. Irrigation was fully utilised to combat the dry summer.
Lower North Island
The cool spring and frosts were key seasonal characteristics in the Wanganui and Horowhenua districts this season. Twelve quite serious frosts occurred, but many orchards have frost protection that prevented severe damage. Some orchards have poor, "blocky" fruit shape, apparently caused by the cool spring. Otherwise, seasonal growing conditions were good for kiwifruit, including good weather at the important stage of pollination in late spring. The dry summer in the region was counteracted by the use of irrigation, in contrast to last season when lots of rain meant irrigation was not needed. Orchard yields are higher than last year and fruit size is larger.
Nelson
Nelson had a difficult growing season for their 2003 kiwifruit crop. Like other districts, the cold spring had a big impact. It disrupted pollination resulting in small fruit size and a high proportion of small and misshapen rejects. Strong spring winds were also a problem. Dry weather during January to March also occurred so irrigation was used.
Late fruit maturity delayed harvest. Yields for 2003 are variable but generally 10-20% lower than in 2002 with smaller fruit size.
Contact for Enquiries
Farm Monitoring Programme Manager
Monitoring and Evaluation
MAF Policy
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0623
Fax: +64 4 894 0741
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