The kiwifruit vine-killing disease PSA has been found in a Hawke's Bay orchard for the first time and officials think it may have been there for six months.
The PSA-V bacteria was found at an orchard near Taradale this week, Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) said on Friday.
A control area which included 43 kiwifruit orchards has been set up and growers are being urged to increase their monitoring and take steps to stop any PSA spreading.
KVH chief executive Barry O'Neil said the find was disappointing but autumn and spring were the times of the year when orchardists were seeing the worst of the spread.
"Based on the symptoms seen in the orchard, it is possible infection may have been present, but undetected in the area, for at least six months prior to identification this week."
PSA has already been found in orchards in the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and south of Auckland, but has not yet been found in the Poverty Bay, Whanganui and Nelson regions.
PSA was first discovered in 2010. A Lincoln University study estimates PSA will cost the $1.3 billion kiwifruit export industry between $310 million and $410 million over the next five years in disease management and lost production.
NZN