The rain has spoilt Christmas for cherry growers, splitting the fruit in many orchards in Marlborough and Hawke's Bay.
Marlborough grower Bernie Rowe says the season was looking to be the best it had been in years, but the rain has now spoiled it.
He managed to harvest 70% of his crop before the rain came, but says what is left on the trees has split and softened.
Hastings grower Brian Fulford says the week leading into Christmas usually has stronger sales and higher prices. Thankfully, however, the rain has not damaged his summerfruit crop of peaches and nectarines.
Central Otago, the biggest cherry-growing region, is not affected. Growers there say the crop still looks to be a bumper one this season.
