Source: Radio New Zealand
An Oriental fruit fly on a piece of fruit. Supplied / Biosecurity NZ
Biosecurity officers are wrapping up a large-scale fruit fly eradication operation in South Auckland.
Fruit and vegetables can move freely in and out of Papatoetoe for the first time since February as of Monday.
Restrictions were put in place after a single male Oriental fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap.
Biosecurity’s north commissioner Mike Inglis said despite three more males being found in the suburb in early March, he was confident the pest had been eradicated.
“It comes after no further evidence of the oriental fruit fly being in the area, and it brings to an end five weeks of intensive trapping and inspection of nearly 4000 kilograms of fruit.”
Inglis said there were 172 surveillance traps in the Papatoetoe area during the operation, which were regularly inspected by biosecurity officers.
“During this period, we’ve made over 1900 individual visits to check the 172 fruit fly traps, so it has been a significant effort.”
He acknowledged the cooperation of Paptoetoe residents, who had already dealt with an Oriental fruit fly incursion in 2025.
“There’s an imposition on individuals, whether that’s on their own produce, at markets, or businesses. People have been absolutely fantastic in understanding the importance of these restrictions and that we get this right, and we appreciate the community’s efforts.”
Biosecurity said 8000 traps nationwide had been checked regularly during this year’s peak fruit fly season.
Ingliss said these traps, as well as managing risks at the border with detector dogs and educating visitors about produce rules, would be important to prevent any future incursions.
“We’re not taking our foot off the gas.
“We’re protecting a massive primary industry, particularly in the horticulture space.
“With changing weather patterns and longer, warmer summers and an increased number of passengers coming through cargo, its important we continue to focus on this.”
Of the 172 traps, nine were part of Biosecurity New Zealand’s existing network of fruit fly traps across the country, including more than 4600 in Auckland. These will remain in place.
Biosecurity confirmed the remainder would be taken down and stored for any potential future use as needed.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
