Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
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.
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.
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.
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.
2025/26 Safe movement of risk items between North and South Islands - updated June 2025 | ||||||
KVH Permit ID | Purpose of movement | Risk item | Interisland movement | Movement time period | Final destination nursery/orchard | |
P-02238 | Nursery plants for establishment | Plants | South Island to North Island | 26/04/2025-02/05/2025 | Yes | |
P-02248 | Grafting | Budwood | South Island to North Island | 02/06/2025-09/06/2025 | Yes | |
KVH Requirements | ||||||
Notification to KVH is required at least 7 days before any proposed movement and requires KVH approval. All kiwifruit plant material is to be securely packaged and transported using a covered vehicle. All kiwifruit plant material entering a facility for testing and research purposes is to be disposed of first via autoclave. Where the final destination is an orchard the kiwifruit plant material is to be quarantined in an approved facility for the period of time required to establish the movement does not significantly increase risk to the kiwifruit industry. All vehicles, machinery, and equipment is to be free of visible soil and plant material, sanitised and stored and transported in a manner to avoid contamination. |
KVH investigates reports of unusual symptoms to identify and manage any biosecurity risks.
05 Jun 2025
Recently KVH travelled to Pukekohe and linked with the Punchbowl team to host a workshop for members of Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ), to connect, network, and share an understanding of the industry’s infrastructure and past and potential forward impacts of biosecurity responses. The visiting group included principal scientists from New Zealand’s Plant Health and Environmental Laboratory (PHEL) and Incursion Investigation Plant Health teams; BNZ response managers, including members involved in the fruit fly responses earlier this this year and who also played a role through the Psa response; and relationship managers who hold a vital role in fostering ongoing connectivity between BNZ and industry in the readiness and response space. Rob Craig shared the history of Punchbowl and provided an insightful history of kiwifruit industry impacts related to economic and market challenges, and business impacts following the Psa incursion. He noted the heightened industry awareness of the very real implications of a fruit fly incursion, especially for businesses close to ports and airports. Rob also emphasised the willingness to support the industry KiwiNet network which coordinates the deployment of kiwifruit industry personnel into biosecurity responses. KVH highlighted the value, expansion, regionality and seasonality of the kiwifruit industry and reflected on industry’s keen awareness of the potential impacts of our most unwanted pest threats. The unusual symptoms surveillance programme was described and clearly showed the connectivity and support of the PHEL team in this space. Lalith Kumarasinghe, manager of the PHEL lab described the wide-ranging analytical roles of his team which provide ongoing support to New Zealand’s biosecurity processes. The visit wrapped up with a guided tour of the Punchbowl pack-house and cool stores, and an opportunity to get out in the sunshine and under a kiwifruit canopy to hear more about the growing side of our industry. This opportunity for BNZ/ PHEL and the kiwifruit industry/ KVH to connect was considered immensely valuable by all parties. KVH would like to sincerely thank the visitors for taking time away from their busy schedules, and the Punchbowl team for warmly opening their doors to share the industry story.
Read more05 Jun 2025
In the 2025 Agribusiness Leaders Priority Survey, biosecurity was once again ranked top (for the 16th year in a row) by leaders from across the food and fibre sector, who provided insights into the importance of peacetime planning, and putting the time and effort into regularly using and testing systems before a biosecurity crisis hits so that we can optimise response outcomes. This is a key priority for KVH, and we’ve got another response exercise coming up later in the year that we’ll share in more detail in upcoming Bulletins. The importance of good communication about biosecurity risks and response procedures was another noted insight and point made by leaders. Engagement with growers and those managing orchards is something the KVH team in sharply focused on – we do a huge amount of work in this space already and we’re ramping it up. We’ll be working with growers, post-harvest and orchard management teams (via Zespri and GAP audits, or sometimes directly) to provide everything needed for those managing orchards to meet regulatory requirements under the National Kiwifruit Pathway Management Plan, including having an on-orchard biosecurity plan. As the KPMG report states, “most people (in the sector and beyond) don’t have deep knowledge of biosecurity risks and response procedures” – this makes it critical that as a dedicated biosecurity organisation we provide helpful, concise, timely communication and tools, so people are clear on what they need to do and why. Biosecurity plans can be created online via the KVH website here. View the biosecurity page from the report here, or see the full report on the KPMG website here.
Read more05 Jun 2025
New Zealand’s border biosecurity campaign is reaching further afield, with targeted ads now running in the UK and soon in the US. The campaign reminds travellers that it only takes one risk item to do serious harm to New Zealand. It aims to get travellers thinking about biosecurity before they even pack – especially high-risk items for our industry like soiled boots, and food. In the UK, digital ads are now playing in the major airports of London, Manchester, and Birmingham, as well as online for people searching for travel to New Zealand. Advertising in the US will begin shortly and the campaign will then expand to China and India. Know someone visiting from overseas or visiting our orchards? KVH also has a specially designed poster for best biosecurity practice and what to expect at border control.
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