- Hon Andrew Hoggard
New Zealand is once again free of Queensland fruit fly, following a swift biosecurity response in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
Biosecurity New Zealand has lifted controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the area. No further evidence of the pest has been found since the discovery of a single male Queensland fruit fly in a surveillance trap in the suburb in early January.
"This is great news for all New Zealanders, and particularly for our horticulture industry, which would have been significantly impacted by the establishment of a Queensland fruit fly population here," says Mr Hoggard.
"Allowing fruit fly to become established would have hammered New Zealand's horticulture industry just as it is hitting record export returns. The industry is projected to export $9.2 billion worth of produce a year by 2026, while Kiwifruit alone returned $4.1 billion in the year to July 2025. I'm pleased that our growers can continue to thrive without having to worry about fighting this pest."
Biosecurity New Zealand, with the help of communities and sector partners, has successfully stamped out 15 fruit fly incursions since 1996.
"This success shows our multi-layered biosecurity system working. This includes treatment of fruit before it arrives in New Zealand, checks at the border at airports and import facilities, and surveillance trapping to catch any flies that slip through with passengers or on imported goods," says Mr Hoggard.
"The Biosecurity New Zealand team put in a great effort, and I commend them for their hard work over the past six weeks."
The successful eradication of this pest wouldn't have been possible without the cooperation and support of the local community, local businesses, and sector groups.
"The way residents and local businesses have engaged with this response has been a terrific display of community spirit. Their efforts to follow the restrictions has protected our horticultural sector and our home gardens," says Mr Hoggard.
