Biosecurity New Zealand has now placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Papatoetoe, Biosecurity New Zealand commissioner north Mike Inglis says.

The move – expected to last at least two weeks – comes after a single male Oriental fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap in the South Auckland suburb.

To date, no other flies have been found in surveillance traps, Inglis said this afternoon.

“We need community help to make sure we successfully find and eradicate any further fruit flies that may be present in the area.”

Biosecurity New Zealand staff are busy in the area today laying more traps and giving out information to households.

“There have been 12 previous fruit fly incursions in New Zealand, which we have successfully eradicated so we have a very strong and detailed operational plans to guide our work.”

“The rules now in place prohibit moving fruit and vegetables out of a specified controlled area around where the fruit fly was found.

A detailed map of the controlled area and a full description of the boundaries and rules is at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/66984-Oriental-fruit-fly-CAN

The controlled area has two zones – A and B, Inglis said.

“Zone A is a 200m zone, with 198 properties. Zone B covers a 1500 metre area, with 5470 properties.

“In Zone A no whole fresh fruit and vegetables, except for leafy vegetables and soil-free root vegetables, can be moved outside Zone A.

“This applies to all produce, regardless of whether it was bought or grown.”

In Zone B all fruit and vegetables grown within Zone B can’t be moved out of the controlled area, he said.

“These legal controls are an important precaution while we investigate whether there are any further fruit flies present in the area.

“Should there be any more flies out there, this will help prevent their spread out of the area.”

Biosecurity NZ is working closely with the Government’s Industry Agreement partners in the horticultural industry.

“We all appreciate this will be inconvenient for the many people living in and around the controlled area, but following these directions is a critical precaution to protect our horticultural industries, home gardens and our New Zealand way of life.

“It is likely the restrictions will be in place for at least two weeks.”

Signs would be put in place notifying people of the restrictions and marking the controlled area boundaries.

To report suspected finds of fruit fly, people should call the Ministry of Primary Industries' Pest and Diseases Hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

Detail about the controlled area

Zone A

No fruit and vegetables (other than leafy or soil-free root vegetables and cooked, processed, preserved, dried, frozen and canned fruit) can be moved from Zone A of the controlled area.

Compost and green waste from gardens also cannot be moved out of this zone.

Residents in Zone A are asked to avoid composting fruit and vegetables. To dispose of fruit and vegetable waste, use a sink waste disposal unit if available, or bins provided by Biosecurity New Zealand. These bins will be delivered shortly, and residents advised of their location.

Zone B

No fruit and vegetables grown in Zone B can be moved out of the controlled area. You are free to move commercially purchased fruit and vegetables (e.g. fruit and vegetables brought at the supermarket) out of the area. Home-grown produce waste and garden waste needs to be disposed of in Biosecurity New Zealand bins.

More information on the fruit fly can be found at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/exotic-pests-and-diseases-in-new-zealand/active-biosecurity-responses-to-pests-and-diseases/oriental-fruit-fly-detection/.

‘It is important we move quickly’

Biosecurity New Zealand announced yesterday a single male Oriental fruit fly had been found in a surveillance trap in Papatoetoe, sparking a major biosecurity operation.

There would be a massive economic cost to the country’s horticulture industry if the fruit fly established itself in New Zealand.

Extra field teams were in Papatoetoe yesterday, Friday but checks of other traps in the suburb and neighbouring Māngeredidn’t find any other fruit flies, Inglis said yesterday.

“Our previous experience with the successful eradication of several different types of fruit fly is that we might find other insects, so it is important we move quickly, look for any others and eradicate them.

“We will be ramping up trapping and testing, with daily checks in a 200m zone from the original find and three daily testing in a second zone out to 1500m.”

The most likely way fruit flies arrived in New Zealand was on fresh fruit and vegetables, Inglis said.

Residents could expect to see Biosecurity NZ staff in the area, and some – always showing ID – may ask to check fruit trees on private property, he said.

The fruit fly’s discovery was a concern for the country’s growers, Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Kate Scott said yesterday.

Oriental fruit fly maggots can feed on 300 different fruit and vegetables, with its favourite hosts apples, guavas, mangos, peaches, and pears.

“While the Oriental fruit fly poses no risk to human health, its establishment in New Zealand could have severe economic consequences for the horticulture industry,” Scott said.

“It will also impact those Kiwis growing fruit and vegetables in their gardens at home.

Local councillor Alf Filipaina, of the Manukau ward, encouraged his community in Māngere and Papatoetoe to be vigilant about not moving fruit or vegetables, and reporting any sightings of the insect to authorities.

“One of the key things is to make sure you know the restrictions. That’s exactly what we need to do,” Filipaina said.

“Biosecurity is the lifeline of our communities.”

Biosecurity New Zealand had successfully eradicated fruit flies found inside the country the previous 12 times incursions were detected in Auckland and Northland since 1996, Inglis said.

They had 7878 traps set nationwide, all checked regularly.

“By setting traps for these pest insects, we are able to find them early, know exactly where the problem is, and respond quickly and effectively.”