The kiwifruit industry is calling for increased boarder surveillance following the trapping of a single male fruit fly in Auckland yesterday.

Barry O'Neil, CEO of Kiwifruit Vine Health, says while one insect doesn't constitute a risk to the industry, the discovery of a breeding population would.

The single male fruit fly was discovred in Auckland yesterday.

'The Queensland fruit fly is the number one most unwanted pest for the kiwifruit industry and the trapping of a third insect in 13 months is of concern,” says Barry.

'We have identified that the period of highest risk for finding the fruit fly in New Zealand is January to April.

'We have informed the Ministry for Primary Industries that we believe there should be a return to 100 per cent X-ray of baggage of passengers arriving from Australia and greater examination of fresh produce from Australia.”

The male fruit fly was found in a trap in Grey Lyn yesterday and as part of the Government Industry Agreement on Biosecurity Readiness and Response, KVH was informed immediately.

KVH has offered to assist MPI with its response to the fruit fly trapping and has members of its staff and those of the post-harvest KiwiNet biosecurity group on standby to go to Auckland if required.

Mike Chapman, CEO of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, says a single male Queensland fruit fly is of concern but there is no reason to panic.

The kiwifruit harvest is still several weeks away and markets do not place restriction on imports of fruit from New Zealand on the basis of one insect.

However, Mike says if a breeding population is found, the ramifications could be serious. Markets could close their borders to imports of kiwifruit and pipfruit from this country.

While the industry has offered to help MPI, Mike says because of the details of its agreement with the government on biosecurity response are not yet finalised, it will not be asked to contribute to the costs of the current operation.

The most recent incidents of the fruit fly trappings were two in Whangaeri last year, and Mike says as a result, MPI tightened up on surveillance of yachts arriving in Northland.

The next few days will be an anxious wait for fruit growers as MPI staff monitor traps and inspect fruit trees in the area the insect was trapped, in an effort to determine if there are more Queensland fruit flies in the area.