The head of one of the country's biggest kiwifruit companies, says delaying the removal of vines infected by the bacterial disease PSA, will be very costly.
Seeka Kiwifruit Industries chief executive Michael Franks spoke to growers at a meeting in Te Puke on Thursday to consider the Government's proposed $50 million assistance package.
He says what can be spotted leaves today could be cane collapse tomorrow.
Mr Franks says his experience as the director of a company that developed a gold kiwifruit orchard in Italy is that immediate action is needed once the infection is detected.
Kiwifruit Growers president Peter Ombler says a lack of action in Korea, where green kiwifruit was found to have PSA, was also very costly.
The Government and Zespri announced on Thursday they would contribute $25 million each, to partially compensate growers for vines being pruned or removed, and for loss of income.
Zespri will hold growers' meetings on Friday in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Nelson seeking support for the package.
