According to press reports in New Zealand this week, apple, grape and kiwifruit growers are reporting a marked improvement in flowering this year and are hopeful for volume increases on the frost and hail struck crops of 2003. There are isolated reports of frost damage in some apple growing areas, but these are relatively minor, sources indicate.
Apple exports are forecast at this early stage to surpass those of this season by 1 million cartons: a five per cent volume increase.
Although kiwifruit growers have experienced frost this season, the extent has been much less than last year. Rainfall has been adequate and although temperatures could ideally have been higher, they have been sufficient for pollination.
The main concerns now are that the summer is not too dry and that the New Zealand dollar does not continue to rise.
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