Last week's icy weather devastated crops around the country, with kiwifruit growers among those concerned about their harvests.
Seeka CEO Michael Franks told Breakfast that the industry couldn't yet know the full extent of the harm.
"We've got a range of damage," he said. "In places in Katikati and the back of Tauranga, we've got extensive damage, orchards are wiped out there in places, very difficult experience for them.
"It's a difficult thing to really assess because the leaves are burnt but the flowers might still be viable, so we've got to get to pollination really, to flowering, to see how bad it truly is."
And it's testing the resilience of growers, Franks said.
"They've spent the expensive money of getting the orchards tied and pruned down, but they won't effectively get any money for that crop because they won't get as many flowers or they won't get as much fruit, or any fruit if they're completely wiped out.
"It means that they won't get any income until 2024, and in 2023 they'll have to do it all again and tie the crop down again."
Franks added the industry had already been facing challenges recently, including "extreme labour shortages".
"At one point, we were 1100 people short, that's 25% of our seasonal workforce missing. We've had everything thrown at us.
"We haven't had a frost like this for like 15 years.
"Everything's changing around us, we're in a dynamic environment...we have to continue to adapt with it."
SHARE ME