The kiwifruit industry advisory council has formally set up the incorporated society which will lead the industry management strategy for the bacterial disease Psa.

The incorporated society Kiwifruit Vine Health Incorporated (KVH Inc) will be registered in the next few days to operate as a non-profit body, effectively taking over some of the work which has been done over the past three weeks by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).

It will:

* implement the aggressive containment strategy for Pseudomonas Syringae pv. Actinidiae (Psa), including negotiation of funding agreements with the Government and Zespri, paying handouts payments to growers; and

* develop and implement a long term Psa pest management and monitoring plan, which may include taking on the role of a management agency under the Biosecurity Act 1993.

Directors of the society include Zespri deputy chairman Peter McBride, Zespri global supply general manager Simon Limmer, Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) chief executive Mike Chapman, NZKGI forum member Paul Jones, Seeka chief executive Michael Franks, Punchbowl Group managing director Rob Craig, and MAF biosecurity response manager David Hayes.

Mr McBride will chair the society, which expects to soon appoint a chief executive.

The board said in a statement that it would work closely with MAF and Zespri to ensure a smooth transition of the Psa management strategy.

It was set up as the nation's kiwifruit industry notched up an unwelcome century: 100 orchards have had the bacterial disease PSA confirmed in their vines.

A total of 103 orchards have been issued with a restricted place notice by biosecurity officials, and 503 orchards have had negative test results, Zespri said today.

The "ton" was racked up in just three and a half weeks -- Zespri was told of the suspected infection on November 5, and received confirmation the following day.

Across the Tasman, Australian kiwifruit growers who have imported pollen or nursery stock from New Zealand are being investigated by biosecurity authorities there.

Australian growers have called for Italian and New Zealand kiwifruit exports to be banned, but Biosecurity Australia has said there is no scientific evidence that the disease can be spread on fruit.