Several signs have been spotted on empty shelves, where bananas normally are, by shoppers at supermarkets all over New Zealand.
Local horticulture is among the sectors most severely hit by Cyclone Gabrielle's ongoing damages. Extreme weather conditions have, however, also hampered the supply of our imported products, including bananas.
Because export boats were forced to reroute to Australia because Cyclone Gabrielle prevented them from reaching New Zealand, there has been a shortage of bananas. However, the cyclone has an impact on more fresh product than just bananas.
The effect of Cyclone Gabrielle has been catastrophic, according to Gareth Edgecombe, Chief Executive of Turners & Growers Global (T&G), especially for their growers in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne Region.
“In Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, the cyclone has impacted key infrastructure, with power and telecommunication outages, and some roads and bridges impassable,” says Edgecombe.
Edgecombe claimed that their Whakatu facility is packaging the apples in preparation for shipment and that they have started to harvest their Royal Gala Apples. There haven't been any more news on their other orchards yet.