Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area.

The decision to end the operation follows more than a month of intensive fruit fly trapping and inspections of hundreds of kilograms of fruit.

Residents and businesses in the affected area have supported the movement controls, keeping an eye out for fruit flies and safely disposing of fruit in provided bins – vital to helping protect the kiwifruit industry and wider horticultural sector.

Biosecurity New Zealand quickly placed legal controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in an area of Papatoetoe on 4 January after a single male Oriental fruit fly was identified from a national surveillance trap. No further adult fruit flies, eggs, larvae, or pupae have been found.

With no further detections over six weeks, the response governance group (including Biosecurity New Zealand and KVH, alongside other horticulture industry groups) is confident the Controlled Area Notice restrictions can be lifted and response operations closed.

The checking of 7800 fruit fly traps around the country, including some 200 traps in the Papatoetoe/Māngere area, will continue as normal.

KVH thanks the great work of our industry partners APAC and Punchbowl for their assistance in response activities - by working together, and responding quickly, we have managed this situation well and limited impacts to our industry and growers.

Key figures:

• More than 1500 visits made to check the 109 fruit fly response traps in Papatoetoe/Māngere.

• Over 600 biosecurity bins distributed within the community to collect produce waste for safe disposal.

• More than 470 kilos of fruit cut up and examined for any signs of fruit fly eggs or larvae.

• More than 150 staff involved throughout the response, and kiwifruit industry personnel from KVH, APAC and Punchbowl.

Read more about the detection and activities that lead to this successful outcome on our website here.