Movement across Cook Strait

There are strict controls in place for the movement of risk goods from the North Island to the South Island – please read below or contact KVH for more information

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The Cook Strait represents a defendable barrier to the spread of kiwifruit industry pests and pathogens. This barrier represents a strategic opportunity for the industry to protect growers and ensure areas of clean plant material and fruit supply are maintained in the event of any outbreak affecting either island.

Under the National Kiwifruit Pathway Management Plan (Pathway Plan), there is a specific rule to enable a higher level of risk management for movements between the North and South Islands (and vice versa) relative to movements within the North Island or within the South Island. These risk management practices can be tailored to reflect the level of risk associated with the movement and operate in either direction, recognising that the organism of concern may be present in either island.

Currently, Psa is the specified high-risk organism for the Pathway Plan, and as the South Island remains free of Psa there are specific measures in place to manage this risk.

The rule applies to the movement of all risk items where the destination is an orchard, nursery, or for the movement of items associated with kiwifruit pollination.

Vehicle machinery and equipment movements:

For the movement of vehicles and machinery, KVH must be notified in writing and equipment sanitised for the movement between islands. Inspections will be done by KVH staff in the Bay of Plenty and by KVH Regional Coordinators in other regions. KVH will provide written permission for the movement once inspection has been undertaken to provide suppliers, recipients, and carriers of goods confidence that requirements of the Pathway Plan are being met.

Plant material movements:

For plant material movements, which present the highest risk, the plant material must be free of high-risk organisms or not likely to result in a significant impact to the kiwifruit industry.

For movements from the South Island to the North Island:

KPCS certification for nursery plants, budwood, or pollen fulfil the requirements for movements from the South Island to the North Island and no further quarantine or testing is required.

For movements from the North Island to the South Island:

The presence of Psa in the North Island and absence from the South Island means that movements from Psa positive to non-detected orchards is prohibited. However, KVH has developed a tissue culture pathway to enable the safe movement of clean material into Psa Exclusion and Containment Regions under the NPMP. This will be used to meet the requirements of this rule with approval from a KVH Authorised Person. This tissue culture pathway is a two-year process based on risk management measures from the Actinidia Import Health Standard and involves three stages - laboratory-based tissue culture; greenhouse; and an outdoor containment facility. KVH undertakes audits at each stage of the process. The tissue culture standard is available on the KVH website here and was last updated in June 2021. 

Currently, while the South Island retains area freedom from Psa, meeting the requirements of this tissue culture standard is the only pathway available for the movement of kiwifruit plant material from the North Island to the South Island. Movement of kiwifruit plants, budwood or pollen by other means is prohibited under the Pathway Plan (and also the NPMP until it expires in 2023).

See below a list of movements across the Cook Strait between the North and South Islands, where the final destination is a kiwifruit nursery or orchard (excluding routine movements of KPCS certified plant material suppliers). All movements listed have been risk assessed by KVH and have to meet strict requirements prior to approval being granted: