Fruit fly find has Waikato growers worried

Was the Aussie pest a solitary insect or part of a wider population? Andrea Fox reports.

Waikato’s fruit and vegetable growers are anxiously watching an urgent investigation into the discovery of Queensland fruit fly in Auckland.

It is the latest biosecurity scare for growers in the region, who are already keeping vigil against the kiwifruit vine disease Psa, which has savaged that industry, and dealing with a psyllid insect which has caused major losses in the potato and legume industry.

If a fruit fly outbreak is confirmed, it could be a major threat to New Zealand’s $3.3 billion fruit and vegetable export industry as our trading partners react. The Ministry for Primary Industries said a single male Queensland fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap in Mt Roskill and identified on Wednesday.

The ministry is setting up a controlled area around the suburb and has banned the movement of produce out of the area.

The Government is notifying trading partners and working to identify the extent of a potential biosecurity breach. The most likely way a fruit fly could arrive in the country was in fresh fruit, the ministry said.

No fruit fly species has been detected in New Zealand since Mediterranean fruit fly was found in 1996.

Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Peter Silcock said the industry, which is in the middle of its export season, was waiting with ‘‘bated breath’’ for further developments.

The ministry said it was vital to find out if the fruit fly was a solitary find or if there was a wider population in Auckland.

‘‘This insect is an unwanted and notifiable organism that could have serious consequences for New Zealand’s horticultural industry. It can damage a wide range of fruit and vegetables,’’ the ministry said.

Horticulture NZ said Waikato grew a wide range of produce, although not in big volumes.

The organisation’s Waikato representative, Selwyn June, said the main crops in the region were kiwifruit, blueberries, strawberries, apples and pears.

Asparagus and onions were also significant crops, he said.

Andrew Watson, general manager of NZ Hothouse, which has 20 hectares of tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums under glass at Pukekohe, said the fruit fly news was ‘‘alarming’’.

‘‘We are very concerned, very threatened by this. This is a direct consequence of poor border control – people bringing large quantities of fruit on planes from Queensland.’’

The ministry said it had strict import requirements in place to minimise this risk.

All plant material and fruit that can host the Queensland fruit fly can only be imported under the requirements of the relevant Import Health Standard.

The fruit fly discovery came as genetic analysis by American and Italian scientists added to evidence suggesting a Chinese origin for the Psa virus.