Biggest offshore threats monitored

KVH maintains a register of potential biosecurity threats (pests and pathogens) to the kiwifruit industry, increasing our awareness of offshore risks and supporting our readiness work so that we are ready for the next possible biosecurity event.

As well as scanning English literature, KVH and Zespri have undertaken several projects to access kiwifruit information in Chinese language literature. Previous translation work has focussed on pests, namely the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and Spotted Lanternfly, but we are now also looking at what potential kiwifruit diseases and pathogens are talked about in wider Chinese literature.

Preliminary work has been completed and our offshore risk register has been updated to include several new organisms. There are now over 80 pests and pathogens, with varying degrees of risk, on the register available here.