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Six months after the Cyclone Gabrielle devastated parts of Hawke's Bay, growers in one of New Zealand's fruit bowls are slowly getting back on their feet. Apples and pears alone make up an industry worth about $550 million to the region. So the tropical cyclone of 14 February delivered a sucker punch that will take years to get over. Our reporter Jimmy Ellingham and cameraman Angus Dreaver have the story.
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PM Chris Hipkins rules out special tax to help cover ballooning cyclone recovery costs.
Growers are pleading with the government for a recovery package after Cyclone Gabrielle turned vast swathes of fertile land into pulp.
Paynter was “terrified” for the upcoming apple season, with picking beginning next month. The stonefruit season had been a successful one, he said, as the timing worked perfectly for students who were on their summer holidays, but the same couldn’t be said about the apple season. “It’s the backpackers we miss the most. Although they would only stay for about a month, they were consistent.” It was hard to convince potential workers from outside the region to move to Hawke’s Bay, he said. SUPPLIED Yummy Fruit Company general manager Paul Paynter said he’s “terrified” to ...