Kiwifruit prices are due to rise up to 20 percent after the vine disease Psa-V attacked a large portion of this year's harvest.
According to stuff.co.nz, export volumes are expected to drop 10-13 million trays this season, with New Zealand's gold kiwifruit variety in particular being badly affected.
The disease is said to be affecting 69 percent of New Zealand's kiwifruit orchards.
And while freen kiwifruits have also been struck down, Tony Ponder, chief executive and director of Southern Produce, one of the biggest kiwifruit market distributors, isn't expecting a shortage of this variety this year.
For many growers the gold fruit harvest starting in late March will be their last for at least two years, as they await production of new, potentially Psa-resistant, gold variety vines, says stuff.co.nz.