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Kiwifruit's most unwanted

Kiwifruit's most unwanted

There are eight organisms identified as the biggest biosecurity threat to New Zealand's kiwifruit industry.

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 Kiwifruit's most unwanted

Kiwifruit's most unwanted

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is the kiwifruit industry’s second-most unwanted biosecurity threat after fruit flies; and the risk of it entering New Zealand is considered extreme.

The BMSB is able to hitchhike on inanimate objects such as cars and shipping containers. If it were to enter New Zealand it would have no problem establishing due to New Zealand’s highly suitable climate and abundance of host material. Its entry and establishment would result in significant production impacts to many horticultural industries.

The high risk and potential consequence of BMSB have made it a priority for biosecurity readiness activities for both KVH and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Threat Levels
Likelihood of entry
High
Likelihood of establishment
Medium
Production impacts
High
Market access impacts
Very Low

Pest ranking based on the KVH risk matrix

View risk matrix

BMSB preparedness

KVH is working with Zespri, MPI and the wider kiwifruit industry to ensure we are all prepared for BMSB, if it were to arrive and establish here. This includes running regular simulation exercises, hosting workshops, and developing joint workplans for how we would manage an incursion and long term response.

Read the BMSB Readiness Plan (A) for information about how the industry is ready for a New Zealand incursion. Read the BMSB Readiness Plan (B) for information about long term management considerations should BMSB establish in New Zealand.

Read the BMSB kiwifruit growers guide to long-term management. The guide outlines all the things growers should do on-orchard and how to do them when managing BMSB long-term.

In August 2018 the New Zealand horticulture industry welcomed the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) decision allowing the release of a tiny Samurai Wasp into New Zealand, if ever there was an incursion of the BMSB. Read the media release here.

KVH and Zespri have recently designed a useful infographic tool for growers. It encourages growers to cast their eye into a possible future where BMSB has arrived in New Zealand and all response/eradication efforts have failed. What long-term management of the bug might look like on-orchard; factors to consider into future planning; and the times of the year each is most appropriate, is summarised in the infographic here.


BMSB photos and videos


BMSB reference material

SEEN SOMETHING UNUSUAL?

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LATEST NEWS

23 Apr 2025

Stopping our most unwanted

A reminder the latest fruit fly and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) risk updates are always available on the KVH website. These updates include the latest detection and surveillance information, including our industry-led activities, and are produced every month.

Read more

23 Apr 2025

Listen to the latest news

We have a new Snapshot podcast online, where we chat with Ryan, Chief Quarantine Officer for the Ministry for Primary Industries, about the work his teams do across biosecurity. Ryan manages the Tauranga, Hamilton, and Northland regions – there are biosecurity teams in all three regions – and in the chat we focus on the way they manage cruise ships, transitional facilities, and various partnerships that they have with KVH and the kiwifruit industry. The Snapshot podcasts are free and available now on SoundCloud and Apple iTunes.

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23 Apr 2025

Interactive surveillance maps: finding pests and diseases early

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is always looking for pests and diseases that might have arrived from overseas. Finding them early is vital for successful biosecurity responses. The online and interactive Atlas of biosecurity surveillance explains more about the what, where and why of our nation’s surveillance programmes, including fruit flies, one of our industry’s “most unwanted”. There are 13 targeted programmes, focusing on specific pests, diseases and biosecurity risks. You can interact with such tools as surveillance maps, showing locations of trap sites, and see latest data for investigations by MPI teams, by region. General surveillance is also important - that is harnessing those who are out on our orchards, to contribute to gathering and reporting information around the presence of potentially new and unwanted threats. If you’ve seen an unusual pest or disease symptom, make a report by filling in our online form and we will be in touch.

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