NZ flag New Zealand

New Zealand boysenberry growers have suffered another poor season after heavy rain and wind damaged a significant portion of the country’s crop.

Torrential rain and winds during harvesting destroyed a significant portion of the country’s crop with Berryfruit Export New Zealand sales and marketing manager Roger Brough telling the Nelson Mail it appears the export crop this year will be down by at least 30 per cent.

This meant the industry would struggle to meet orders, he told the newspaper.

Before the bad weather Berryfruit Export New Zealand had predicted the season would yield NZ$8m in export earnings, up from a disappointing NZ$7m the year before.

Major producers in the Nelson region, which grows 90 per cent of the country’s crop, say some growers would consider leaving the industry following three seasons of poor returns.