Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
There are eight organisms identified as the biggest biosecurity threat to New Zealand's kiwifruit industry.
23/04/2025
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 more23/04/2025
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.
Read more23/04/2025
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.
Read more23/04/2025
It was international Earth Day on Tuesday and here’s a fitting snippet we saw online - celebrate native species! In the USA, native insects, such as spined soldier bugs, have been shown to consume on of our industry’s most unwanted pests, the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). In a recent study, researchers discovered that predatory insects, especially spined soldier bugs and praying mantises, effectively reduced SLF populations in a controlled setting. Even better, the insects ate the spotted lanternflies regardless of life stage - promising news in the fight to control these very damaging invasive insects. While biological control (using natural enemies to control a population) is unlikely to work by itself, it is one more tool in the toolbox and may one day lead to a reduced reliance on chemical pesticides. Read the full story here. Content credit thanks to the Washington Invasive Species Council. Photo: A soldier beetle enjoys a SLF snack. Credit Penn State.
Read more23/04/2025
Last week a grower called to let us know that reporting of a shield bug from his home garden via the Biosecurity New Zealand online reporting form had a reply back to them within 30 minutes with the following message. “Fortunately, the bug spotted is not Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) but a local species, the brown shield bug. It is present in Australia and New Zealand. It has a huge host range and though not as common as the green vegetable bug, it is a minor pest of some crops. If you are interested, you can see some further information and images of the bug at this information page put together by Landcare Research/Manaaki Whenua.” It’s great to hear stories of industry using the range of reporting tools available and supporting identification by providing a good set of photos – see the ones taken in this case here.
Read more23/04/2025
Growers are reminded to update KVH should the Psa status of your KPIN change from undetected to Psa positive. This allows refresh of industry statistics regarding Psa spread, and supports KVH decisions on the supply of nursery stock, budwood and pollen to new developments and existing Psa undetected blocks. Controls are in place under the Kiwifruit Pathway Management Plan to provide protection against the full range of biosecurity threats to our industry, including Psa-V and effective movement controls disallow plant material at risk of harbouring Psa to move to undetected sites. Growers with Psa undetected sites can source Full Certification plant material through the Kiwifruit Plant Certification Scheme (KPCS) to provide greater confidence of freedom from Psa-V and other biosecurity risks. This provides growers and greenfield developers with the best possible start for their investment. KVH is aware that across time, growers may observe Psa-like symptoms on previously undetected blocks, and reminds growers of their responsibility to confirm any new Psa positive status to KVH. Newer growers, or those less familiar with Psa can contact post-harvest technical teams for help with a visual confirmation or assistance in testing for Psa if needed. If you have developed a new orchard over the last few years, and have noted that Psa is now present, you can contact [email protected] to update your KPIN status. Also, if you are a greenfield developer, you can contact KVH for an ID number so that you can receive nursery plants and budwood for your site. This ongoing collective management of Psa at orchard, regional and national level helps minimise Psa-impacts for all growers.
Read more12/10/2021
Every New Zealander has a role to play in preventing pests and diseases from getting here or helping to stop their spread if they do arrive. It takes all of us to protect what we’ve got. KVH produces resources that help every person with a connection to the kiwifruit industry know that they also have a special role in managing the threat of unwanted pests and diseases. Cam Clayton, DMS - good biosecurity and good business go hand-in-hand. Sydney Hines, Sybton Hort - biosecurity best practice ensures longevity of production. Steve Thomas, Thomas Bros - good biosecurity means we will spot the new and unusual quickly. Campbell Wood, Pivot Horticulture - biosecurity is part of day-to-day best business practice.Darshan Singh, grower and Hume Pack-N-Cool - biosecurity protects our family orchards for future generations. Kiwifruit community biosecurity booklet - guidance about how everyone in or close to the kiwifruit community can help identify biosecurity risks and address them. Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital (TMBC) This is a collaboration between Tauranga Moana iwi, local industries and business, science institutions, educators, central and local government. Its purpose is leading and taking collaborative action towards biosecurity excellence. This coalition is an exemplar for regional collaboration and partnership. Our TMBC focus is on working connecting our communities to the importance of biosecurity; and building collaboration across iwi, hapu, community organisations, industries, science and Matauranga Māori experts, central government and local government to achieve biosecurity excellence. Visit the TMBC website to learn more. Biosecurity Excellence at the Port of Tauranga This award-winning partnership between the Port, several primary industries, and central and local government agencies to prevent and respond to biosecurity risks through the Port of Tauranga. All groups have come together with the goal of having no incursions through the Port. This is achieved by working collaboratively and being committed to biosecurity excellence, through effective biosecurity awareness and the use of the very best tools and technologies, backed by science. This partnership is an exemplar of collaboration within a region, where a Port, a regulator and industry all work together. Excellence programme's pest posters Excellence programme's annual pest pest calendar September 2024 - August 2025Excellence programme's most unwanted pests playing cardsFrontline staff "spot, snap, report" lunch bags Excellence programme flyerExcellence programme poster Biosecurity Blitz regular poster sample - inductions Biosecurity Blitz regular newsletter sample Excellence programme research findings: biosecurity understanding, perceptions, and behaviourExcellence programme research findings: article
Read more10/04/2025
Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland North Shore suburb of Birkdale have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area. The decision to end the operation follows seven weeks of intensive fruit fly trapping and inspections of hundreds of kilograms of fruit, with no further detections. Residents and businesses in the affected area are being thanked for their support of the movement controls, keeping an eye out for fruit flies, and safely disposing of fruit in provided bins. The support from the North Shore community has been vital to protect our industry and the wider horticultural sector. National routine surveillance will continue, with New Zealand’s system of nearly 8,000 fruit fly traps spread across the country, set for three exotic fruit fly species of concern: the Queensland fruit fly, Mediterranean fruit fly and Oriental fruit flies. KVH thanks industry personnel from APAC who collaborated with us on fruit fly response activities in Birkdale.
Read more10/04/2025
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 does 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.
Read more10/04/2025
For those in the Bay of Plenty, the Great Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Hunt is starting tomorrow. Keen to hunt the 'Most Wanted' invasive insects and critters around? Put your wits and skills to the test. Search the spots, answer the clues, and then report what you find. This year, there’s a new site at Waihi Beach joining the Mount, Tauranga waterfront, Katikati, and Te Puke. For further information and to get involved in this epic hunt, with loads of prizes up for grabs visit the Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital (TMBC) website. KVH is a TMBC funding partner and member, bringing together mātauranga Māori, industry, science, education, and government to protect the Bay – and New Zealand’s largest kiwifruit growing region - from pests and diseases.
Read more10/04/2025
KVH recently linked with Scott Wilson, our new Gisborne regional coordinator, in a visit to reconnect with growers for an update on how vine health in the region is tracking following the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle. See a set of images from the visit here. Pleasingly, growers are seeing a marked improvement in vine health as they work to address drainage and compaction issues and continue replanting with the more water resilient Bounty rootstock. The visit also allowed an opportunity to attend an orchard soil assessment discussion held by Agrotechnovation who presented on the value of physical soil classification as a tool for growers to uncover and improve issues impacting orchard performance, and particularly for those on silted sites. Growers from kiwifruit, citrus and grape sectors attended, as well as Zespri staff and the local Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Farm Advisory contact, providing a chance to further build regional networks and connections. The KVH team also met Gisborne pack-house and nursery contacts who connect with us through biosecurity elements of the Pathway Plan including biosecurity plans and Kiwifruit Plant Certification Scheme accreditations. We acknowledge and thank all those who took time from their busy schedules to meet with the KVH team on their day and share their knowledge and insights.
Read more10/04/2025
Biosecurity works – and there’s data to prove it. Prevention pays off and, when applied consistently and properly, protects new areas from incursions. New research published in the Conversation shows that biosecurity policies work to protect the environment and are likely to be cheaper than the cost of control or eradication. Introduced species now cost the global economy an estimated $423 billion annually. This article talks about a century of Antarctic data proving biosecurity policies work. Under the web of agreements governing Antarctica, cargo must be checked for any sign of plants, seeds, insects, and rodents. Visitors must ensure the items they bring are clean. In new research, scientists analysed a century of data on how many species have been introduced to the icy continent and surrounding sub-Antarctic islands. Though there’s little human presence there, many species have been introduced and several have established. But across most sub-Antarctic islands, the rate of introduced species has remained steady, or slowed, after biosecurity policies were introduced, even as more humans arrived. The exception was the Antarctic continent itself, where species introductions are increasing. This is likely due to surging visitor numbers and inconsistent biosecurity efforts between different nations and tourist operators. Image: Expeditioners cleaning their boots at a biosecurity checkpoint. Credit: Murray Hamilton.
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Fruit flies are the kiwifruit industry's most unwanted biosecurity threat. Any incursion can severely impact where we sell our fruit. The high risk period for fruit flies is September to June.
The Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF), native to Australia (our closest neighbour), is considered to be the greatest threat and has the most market impacts.
The financial impact of a fruit fly incursion in Te Puke to New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry is estimated to be between $200 million and $695 million. A Kiwifruit Journal article summarises the financial impacts of different incursion scenarios based on previous fruit fly incursions in New Zealand and overseas and economic modelling by Underwood (2023).
Pest ranking based on the KVH risk matrix
View risk matrixKVH has developed a guide for growers that details the likely sequence of events if a fruit fly response was to occur in a kiwifruit growing region.
Plant & Food Research have been granted permission to import sterile QFF into a New Zealand containment facility to develop new attractants for female and male flies.
This long-term project will determine what the flies can smell and whether the odours can be used to improve the sensitivity of traps or increase the numbers of flies lured in. Three approaches are being used; odours based on host fruit, sex pheromones and bacteria.
This research is part of a larger collaborative approach with Australian organisations to manage and eradicate QFF populations.
Supporting this is a Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) facility that can produce 50 million sterile QFF per week as an eradication tool for release in Australia or New Zealand should an established population ever become large enough for this to be required. Read more about the project here.
KVH supports these research activities as an integral component of our readiness activities for the industry’s most unwanted biosecurity threat.
KVH investigates reports of unusual symptoms to identify and manage any biosecurity risks.
23 Apr 2025
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 more23 Apr 2025
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.
Read more23 Apr 2025
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.
Read more