Measures to prevent Queensland fruit fly becoming established in New Zealand are underway on both sides of the Tasman, says Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, who visited Tauranga yesterday.

Nathan is working with Australian officials on import health standards including cold storage, heat treatment and radiation for the 22,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables which leave for New Zealand each year, Nathan told SunLive.

Minsiter for Primary Industries Nathan Guy (middle) with (from left) Zespri chairman Peter McBride, Te Awanui Huka Pak chairman Neil Te Kani, Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller and chairman of Kiwifruit Vine Health Peter Ombler on Peter's Welcome Bay orchard yesterday.

These methods aim to kill any pests and disease on the produce. As well as the eradication operation underway in Grey Lynn, Nathan says more passenger luggage is going through x-ray and detector dogs are being used to screen all incoming passengers and luggage at airports.

'We may never know how the Queensland fruit fly found in Grey Lynn entered New Zealand, but there are four possible pathways,” explains Nathan,'passengers, cargo, international mail and craft (ships private vessels and aircraft).”

Nathan met with Zespri chairman Peter McBride, president of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc Neil Trebilco, Te Awanui Huka Pak chairman Neil Te Kani and chairman of Kiwifruit Vine Health Peter Ombler on Peter's Welcome Bay orchard.

Nathan was accompanied by Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller.

The operation to eradicate fruit fly found in Grey Lynn on February 16 was high on the meeting's agenda, as was the Kiwifruit Industry Strategy Project referendum on which growers are currently voting.

After the meeting Nathan told SunLive that he remains confident the fruit fly will be eradicated despite the discovery of 10 adults so far.

'I am confident of eradication of the Queensland fruit fly because in 1996 when we found 41 Mediterranean fruit fly here, but we were able to eradicate it,” he adds.

Nathan says no Queensland fruit fly have been found outside the initial zone.

There are now more than 500 traps in place in the controlled area - A Zone - which are checked daily, and those in the B Zone are checked every three days. In total there is a nationwide network of 7500 traps designed to detect the insect.

'We have 160 personnel on the ground in Grey Lynn and a support team in Wellington, plus support agencies the Auckland City Council and Assure Quality,” says Nathan.

The bio-security teams include staff provided by Pipfruit New Zealand and Kiwifruit Vine Health's industry response group KiwiNet, through their involvement with the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response.

Residents in Grey Lynn have been allowing bio-security inspectors to visit their properties and as well as traps, baits for female fruit fly have been laid and spraying of the ground carried out.

With the kiwifruit harvest due to start by the end of the month, Nathan says he understands how important eradication of the fruit fly is to growers and the industry.

So far international markets have not reacted by prohibiting imports of fruit and vegetables from New Zealand but are closely monitoring the Grey Lynn fruit fly operation.