4 Dec 2009

Wet weather bad news for cherry-grower

6:27 am on 4 December 2009

A Marlborough cherry-grower estimates that a third of his crop was ruined when wet weather caused the mature fruit to split.

Paul Kinzett, who owns the 8ha Cherryland property in Blenheim, says that earlier in the growing season his crop was damaged by frosts, and recent wet weather has also been devastating.

Mr Kinzett says split cherries deteriorate very rapidly and can't be sold.

SummerFruit New Zealand says growing conditions in other cherry-growing regions have been mixed.

While there have been no reports of problems in Hawkes Bay, some growers in Central Otago say they have a lighter crop this year.

The organisation says strong, hot wind which is drying out the pasture is also damaging the region's cherry trees.