NZ Blueberry Industry Sounds Alarm Over MPI Import Plan
Blueberry growers are warning that fresh imports could pose a huge biosecurity risk for NZ’s horticulture sector.
A single male Queensland fruit fly was found on Sunday in a trap inside the existing Controlled Area.
There are no changes to the Controlled Area as a result of the find at this stage, says MPI chief operations officer Andrew Coleman.
"We have been expecting to find more flies, so the latest detection is no surprise, and confirms that the trapping systems continues to be successful.”
"The find was close to the original detections, so we believe the fly is likely to be part of the same population."
MPI has so far trapped three male fruit flies. A single unmated female was located at a residential property on Friday.
MPI and its response partners, including GIA signatories KVH and PipfruitNZ, have moved quickly to respond to the fruit fly threat.
MPI currently has more than 180 staff working in the field on the response.
The response involves the use of movement controls, traps, public awareness, and treatment. While stricter controls continue at New Zealand’s borders.
Ground staff have laid bait in the Controlled Area and completed ground-based spraying under the fruiting trees where positive finds have been made.
"We continue to appreciate the outstanding public support we have received for our movement controls," says Coleman.
"We have every confidence that our measures will effectively eradicate this population.”
Restrictions in Place
- All whole fresh fruit and vegetables (except for leafy vegetables and root vegetables) must not be moved outside of the wider Controlled Area.
- Within the wider Controlled Area there is a smaller central Zone A (which takes in a circle 200 metres out from the initial find), and whole fruit and vegetables cannot be moved outside of this Zone at all.
- Residents within Zone A are asked to dispose of all store-bought fruit and vegetable waste in the special disposal bins that have been provided by MPI.
- Zone A residents are asked to leave any home-grown fallen fruit on the ground in their garden for inspection by MPI. Do not put home-grown produce in your MPI disposal bin.
- Zone B residents can continue to dispose of all fruit and vegetables in the MPI disposal bins which are distributed at convenient locations around the area.
- Fruit and vegetables can continue to be purchased and transported from outside the Controlled Area into the Controlled Area.
