As the kiwifruit industry reels from the impact of Psa-V on its gold crop, one grower felt compelled to call a meeting for growers’ concerned about the Government and industry’s handling of the outbreak.

Hundreds turned up to the meeting in Te Puke on Friday which, crucially, and unlike Zespri’s grower meetings on Psa, was open to the media.

With incomes plummeting and the banks beginning to circle – it was a chance for New Zealander’s to hear growers’ true feelings on the PSA outbreak.

Some growers who aren’t happy with events, think MAF is getting away virtually scot-free with destroying their industry. 

This is an allegation Primary Industries Minister David Carter utterly rejects.

In a paper ballot. Just under 70 percent of the 145 growers who voted felt there should be a commission of inquiry into the PSA outbreak and bio-security in this country, 63 per cent demanded the government acknowledge the Psa incursion as a bio-security failure, and  45 per cent demanded Government admit its responsibility and provide compensation.