Kiwifruit growers are being urged to remain vigilant about biosecurity as winter replanting and new orchard development activities get underway across the country.

Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive Leanne Stewart said winter was a critical period for establishing new kiwifruit blocks and replacing older vines, making it important for growers to understand and follow biosecurity requirements.

“Whether you’re replacing old vines or developing a new area, it’s vital to stay on top of biosecurity requirements – especially when moving plants between properties."

Stewart said following biosecurity rules helped reduce the risk of spreading pests and diseases such as Psa and strengthens the industry’s ability to respond quickly if a new threat is detected.

Under the National Kiwifruit Pathway Management Plan, growers must source kiwifruit and shelter plants from nurseries that meet approved certification requirements.

Nurseries could be certified through KVH’s Kiwifruit Plant Certification Scheme (KPCS) or Plant Pass, a nationwide plant health and biosecurity certification programme.

The KPCS operated under two certification levels. Full Certification applied to plants that were free from Psa and other target organisms and were produced in Psa-free environments. Restricted Certification allowed plants that may carry the common New Zealand strain of Psa, known as Psa-V, but confirmed they were free of more harmful, resistant or offshore strains.

To gain certification, nurseries must complete a certification manual, undergo independent auditing and have plants sampled and tested annually before they're dispatched.

While certification is required for commercial plant movements, Stewart said growers could propagate plants for use on their own property without certification. Up to 1000 plants a year may also be moved between properties with the same Kiwifruit Property Identification Number and ownership.

However, accurate traceability records must still be maintained.

Growers were also being reminded not to move plants showing disease symptoms and to ensure both supplying nurseries and receiving orchards keep detailed records to support traceability if issues emerge later.

A list of certified nurseries was available on the KVH website.

The biosecurity message comes as KVH continues to support research and industry collaboration aimed at strengthening New Zealand’s readiness against future threats.

KVH representatives recently attended a workshop hosted by researchers from the Bioeconomy Science Institute, where findings from the first year of a Better Border Biosecurity social science project were presented.

The three-year project is examining how industries and communities understand and engage with biosecurity practices. Initial case studies have focused on orchard biosecurity, readiness planning and Māori biosecurity engagement within pollination services.

Researchers were now moving into the next phase of the project, which would involve co-designing practical tools and approaches to encourage greater participation in biosecurity activities.

KVH also attended the 2026 Plant Biosecurity Research Symposium in Melbourne, where researchers, government agencies and industry groups discussed emerging biosecurity risks, diagnostic technologies and crop protection systems.

Stewart said continued industry engagement would be a major focus of KVH’s biennial biosecurity symposium, being held at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on August 5-6.

She described the event as a “must-attend” opportunity for growers and industry leaders to stay ahead of emerging biosecurity threats through proactive planning, rapid response and industry collaboration.