For many Bay of Plenty kiwifruit growers the news only gets worse, as the latest statistics from Kiwifruit Vine Health show, in the week before Christmas, there have been another six positive Psa-V results. This means there are now 933, or 28%, of New Zealand’ kiwifruit orchards affected by the deadly vine-killing disease.

And while scientists and those in the sector desperately seek a solution, the answer as to how Psa-V first entered the country, just over a year ago, may be closer to hand. It now seems increasingly likely that the Psa bacteria  entered New Zealand on imported pollen, although a MAF publication, the PSA – Pathways Tracing Report, issued a week ago, has scientists shaking their heads.

Some say MAF ignored international scientific evidence that bacteria can be easily spread by pollen, and placed New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry in danger, by allowing it in. Benedict Collins has this story.