Kiwifruit industry leaders have held crisis talks following the discovery of the vine disease PSA on an orchard in the Bay of Plenty.

The disease, sometimes known as kiwifruit canker, attacks the vascular system of kiwifruit trees, and has caused severe damage in other major producing countries such as Italy.

The disease hasn’t been here before, and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers President Peter Ombler says top priority is to control the outbreak and keep all growers informed.

“Primarily with growers it’s an update as to exactly where things are in terms of what we know, and making sure they adhere to best practice in terms of moving between properties, particularly.”

Peter Ombler says its fortunate the discovery came during a lull in the export season, but he’s confident the industry will work through the problem.

“We’re confident as an industry that we can mobilise ourselves really quickly. We’re pretty integrated, and I think we’ll deal with this as well as we can.

“This thing’s very widespread globally and has hugely different effects in different countries, so I’m reasonably optimistic that New Zealand will be as well off as it can be in the circumstances.”

MAF Biosecurity has confirmed the disease is PSA, and is running further tests to identify the strain.

There are four known strains of PSA, some more harmful than others.

Biosecurity Minister David Carter says it’s not clear how the disease got here, but the ministry is well prepared. 

“MAF Biosecurity has been very careful with regards to the importation of root stock, of people who have been associated with vineyards in Japan or Italy, but we simply do not know, categorically, how the disease has got into New Zealand.”

Mr Carter says Plant & Food Research and MAF have comprehensive contingency plans to deal with the outbreak.

“We’ve known of the existence of the disease in Italy since the early 1990s. MAF, Plant & Food and industry have worked very closely together over a number of years in preparation for the disease if it was ever to be found here in New Zealand.”

The initial discovery late last week has had an immediate impact on the wider kiwifruit industry 

Seeka and Satara, two of the biggest post-harvest kiwifruit companies, suspended trading on news of the outbreak, but have since lifted the halts.

PSA attacks all types of kiwifruit, but damages the lucrative gold variety particularly badly.