The run of hot weather has caused harvest to be brought forward two weeks earlier than normal and the first galas will be picked this week.

Batlow Fruit Cooperative, technical services and production manager, Ron Gordon said the heat was causing problems with fruit.

"The fruit is looking pretty ordinary, we have had too much hot weather and we are still getting 33 degree and 34 degree days, we need maximums of around 25 and 26 degrees," he said.

In addition the quantity of fruit from the region's 35 growers was back by about 60 per cent on last year's crop and Mr Gordon said this could potentially create a shortfall.

"There might not be enough fruit to supply orders and Batlow Apples is one of the most powerful brands, we need to keep our customers happy and we will be struggling," he said.

Despite the high temperatures, it was actually cold weather and a frost back in October that he said was to blame for the low temperatures.

The cold weather struck during pollination and Mr Gordon said temperatures of at least 12 degrees were needed for the bees to do their job.

Meanwhile, growers are concerned about apples from foreign countries including China and New Zealand hitting the supermarket shelves.

"We could see Chinese apples in Australia by late November," Mr Gordon said.

He said this move would put pressure on prices and force values down, in some cases below the cost of production. NSW Farmers Association, horticulture committee chairman, Peter Darley, Orange said growers didn't have much option to either support or denying the Chinese apples import because it was part of a free trade agreement.

"The only option we have is to find some science which proves there might be a disease risk," he said.

He said the long-running move to allow New Zealand apples into Australia was currently before the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Mr Darley said growers still maintained there was a risk in allowing the New Zealand fruit in because it could bring the disease fire blight to Australia.

He said the decision on the New Zealand apples could be made by May but Australians must remember that fire blight was endemic in New Zealand.

Growers were still fighting the fire blight issue based on science.