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.