Risk Management Proposal:  
Amendments to  the import health standards 
for fresh citrus ( Citrus spp.) for human 
consumption  
 
GRAPEFRUIT -IHS.FP , LEMON -IHS.FP , LIME -MEXICAN -IHS.FP , LIME -TAHITI -
IHS.FP , MAND- TANG -IHS.FP , ORANGE -IHS.FP  and POMELO -IHS.FP  
 
 
 
 
  
 
Prepared for  public consultation  
by Horticulture Imports  
Animal and Plant Health Directorate   
 
 
 
  
 
September 2023   
  
Disclaimer  
 While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this publication is accurate, the  Ministry  for 
Primary Industries does not accept any responsibility or liability for error of fact, omission, interpretation or 
opinion that may be present, nor for the consequences of any decisions based on this information.  
 
This publication is also available on the Ministry for Primary Industries  website at  
http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news -and-resources/publications/
  
  
© Crown Copyright – Ministry  for Primary Industries   
i Contents  Page 
 
1 General information  1 
1.1 Purpose  1 
1.2 Who should read this?  1 
1.3 How the amended standards will affect you  1 
1.4 What is changing  1 
1.5 What you can do  2 
1.6 The Official Information Act 1982  2 
2 Scope of this amendment  3 
3 Proposed changes to the standards  3 
3.1 New countries added to the scope of the standards  3 
3.2 Strength of measures for  Planococcus minor  (Pacific mealybug) on all fresh citrus  3 
3.3 Additional MPI -Specified Measures for Tahitian lime  4 
3.4 Sampling “homogeneous lot” instead of “homogeneous grower lot”  4 
3.5 Non- regulatory changes to the standard  5 
4 Feasibility of the proposed changes to the standard  5 
5 References  6 
6 Pests requiring measures by country  7  
Ministry for Primary Industries   RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption • 1 1 General information 
1.1 Purpose 
(1) This document explains proposed amendments to the import health standards for fresh 
citrus for human consumption (the citrus standards):  
a. Fresh Mexican lime ( Citrus aurantiifolia ) for human consumption 
b. Fresh Tahitian lime ( Citrus latifolia ) for human consumption  
c. Fresh lemon ( Citrus limon ) for human consumption 
d. Fresh pomelo ( Citrus maxima ) for human consumption  
e. Fresh grapefruit (Citrus paradisi ) for human consumption  
f. Fresh mandarin, tangelo and tangor ( Citrus reticulata, Citrus reticulata ×  Citrus 
paradisi and  Citrus reticulata ×  Citrus sinensis) for human consumption 
g. Fresh orange ( Citrus sinensis) for human  consumption. 
1.2 Who should read this?  
(2) Read this if you are or represent:  
• a New Zealand importer of fresh citrus  
• an overseas  exporter of fresh citrus  
• a national plant protection organisation (NPPO)  
• anyone with an interest in fresh citrus  being imported into New Zealand.  
1.3 How the amended standards will affect you  
(3) If you are an NPPO, New Zealand importer or overseas exporter:  
a. there are new ways to meet MPI’s biosecurity requirements  
b. there are some changes to MPI’s biosecurity requirements for fresh citrus  
(4) If you are a horticulturalist or New Zealand exporter, your industry will continue to experience the same level of protection from biosecurity risks that it does now . 
(5) If you are the New Zealand public, you may have a greater selection of fresh citrus  
available in fresh produce shops . 
1.4 What is changing  
(6) We are proposing to add new countries to the scope of the citrus standards. We propose 
to add:  
a. Australia to the Tahitian lime standard  
b. Mexico to the le mon standard  
c. Morocco to the mandarin, tangelo and tangor standard and to the orange standard  
d. Peru to the lemon standard. 2 • RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption Ministry for Primary Industries  (7) We are proposing that Planococcus minor  (Pacific mealybug ) require B asic M easures 
instead of the currently required T argeted M easures o n all fresh citrus  
(8) We are proposing to add new cold treatment options for pests requiring MPI- specified 
measures on Tahitian lime . 
(9) We are proposing to change the requirement to sample a “homogenous grower lot” to 
instead sample a “homogeneous lot”, to align with ISPM 31 in all citrus standards . 
1.5 What you can do  
(10) If you are happy with the above, you do not need to do anything. 
(11) If you want more information on the requirements that will manage the biosecurity risks, keep reading. 
(12) If you want to comment on the requirements proposed or participate in the process, we are accepting feedback until 10 October 2023. We value all feedback on our work, whether complimentary or critical. If we’ve done something well, let us know so we can keep heading in the right direction.  
(13) We base our requirements on the best scientific evidence available to us at the time. If you have scientific evidence that could change our conclusions, include this research in your feedback. 
(14) This is a public consultation. We compile all feedback into a document and publish it on our website. This document includes our responses to scientific evidence and details of any changes we make as a result. Your feedback, along with your name and organisation, will be online and may be read by anyone. See the legal notice below.  
(15) The deadline for feedback is 10 October 2023. If we receive feedback after the deadline, we will hold it on file and consider it when we next review the standard. 
(16) Email plantimports@mpi.govt.nz
 or write to  
 Horticulture Imports  
Animal and Plant Health Directorate  
Biosecurity New Zealand  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
PO Box 2526 Wellington 6140 New Zealand  
1.6 The Official Inform ation Act 1982 
(17) Your submission is public information, and it is MPI policy to publish submissions and a review of these submissions on the MPI website. Submissions may also be the subject of requests for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA specifies that information is to be made available to requesters unless there are sufficient grounds for withholding it, as set out in the OIA. Submitters may wish to indicate grounds for withholding specific information contained in their submission, such as information being commercially sensitive or personal. Any decision to withhold information requested under the OIA is reviewable by the Ombudsman.  
Ministry for Primary Industries   RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption • 3 2 Scope of this amendment  
(18) The biosecurity risks associated with citrus are broadly the same as those considered in 
in the 2022 risk management proposal to issue the fresh citrus standards, which can be found at 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/48235- Risk-Management -Proposal-
Fresh -citrus -fruit-Citrus -for-human-consumption.  
3 Proposed changes to the s tandard s 
3.1 New countries added to the scope of the standards  
(19) Australia has requested market access under the Tahitian lime standard. Australia was already assessed for all pests of Tahitian lime as part of MPI’s 2022 citrus import risk 
analysis  (MPI, 2022). No additional risk assessment is needed to add Australia to the 
Tahitian lime standard . 
(20) Mexico has requested market access under the lemon standard. Mexico was assessed for all pests of lemon as part of MPI’s 2022 citrus import risk analysis. No additional risk assessment is needed to add Mexico to the lemon standard. 
(21) Morocco has requested market access under the mandarin and orange standards. Morocco was not included as part of the 2022 citrus import risk analysis . 
Supplementary risk analysis identified no new targeted or MPI -specified measures pests 
on Moroccan  citrus . Analysis assessed t wo additional species, Ectomyelois ceratoniae 
and Eutetranychus orientalis . These are considered low risk and likely to be managed 
by basic measures.   
a. Ectomyelois ceratoniae has an infrequent association with commercially produced citrus fruit . Infested fruit prematurely ripens or drops off the tree (OEPP/EPPO 
2004). Commercial production practises (washing, grading, brushing, waxing) are likely to identify infested fruit or remove eggs and  larvae.  
b. Eutetranychus orientalis is mainly associated with foliage.  However, s mall 
numbers of  E. orientalis adults may hide in the calyx of citrus fruit and not be 
removed by commercial production practices (EFSA, 2013). The lower temperature threshold for Eutetranychus orientalis  development is between 6.37 
and 11.34°C  (with 21°C being the optimal) (Perring et al., 2015). E.  orientalis is 
unlikely to survive storage and transit temperatures.  
(22) Peru has requested market access under the lemon standard. Peru was already assessed for al l pests of lemon as part of MPI’s 2022 citrus import risk analysis. No additional 
risk assessment is needed to add Peru to the lemon standard. 
(23) Lists of pests requiring targeted or MPI- specified measures for each country and 
commodity are detailed in sectio n 6. 
3.2 Strength of measures for Planococcus minor  (Pacific mealybug) on all fresh 
citrus 
(24) We propose to manage Planococcus minor  (Pacific mealybug) using Basic Measures on 
fresh citrus instead of requiring Targeted Measures.  
(25) MPI has revised its assessment of the economic and environmental impact that Planococcus minor would have if it established in New Zealand (MPI, 2023).  4 • RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption Ministry for Primary Industries  (26) MPI c oncluded that Basic Measures will appropriately manage the risk of P. minor 
entering and establishing a population in New Zealand.  
a. Although P. minor is associated with crops that are economically important to 
New Zealand, MPI has not found any scientific evidence of economic impacts attributed to P.  minor on any of those crops. 
b. Planococcus minor can transmit plant viruses but there is only evidence tha t it 
transmits viruses of black pepper, plantain and cocoa which are not economically or socially (as part of domestic supply of these products) important to New  Zealand.  
c. Pest control activities already undertaken in New Zealand to manage other Planococcus species (like P. citri which is very similar to P. minor ) are very 
likely to also manage P. minor in the event that it establishes here.  
d. Most P. minor infestations will be visually detected as part of Basic Measures, and undetected P. minor will mostly be  removed by the required physical 
brushing of fruit. 
3.3 Additional MPI-Specified Measures for Tahitian lime 
(27) MPI concluded that cold treatment (1 °C or below for 16 continuous days) will manage Bactrocera  aquilonis , B. frauenfeldi , B. jarvisi , B. kraussi and  B. neohumeralis  on 
Tahitian lime.  
(28) When reviewing the standards for fresh citrus for human consumption (issued April 2022), MPI used the Swingle system of citrus classification  for naming citrus 
commodities  (SRA INRA-CIRAD, 2002). Before the IHS review, Australia had 
existing market access for lime  (Citrus aurantiifolia ). The lime commodity imported 
historically from Australia should have the scientific name Citrus latifolia (Tahitian lime) under the Swingle classification system. The 2021 risk management proposal Fresh citrus fruit ( Citrus  spp.) for human consumption
 Appendix 6 provides the 
justification for maintaining the cold treatment schedule (1 °C or below for 16 continuous days) for historically -traded Australian citrus commodities.  This justification 
also applies to Tahitian lime ( Citrus latifolia ). 
(29) The proposed change to the import health standard aligns the approved cold treatments for Tahitian lime with the approved treatments for other citrus commodities, and with the treatment historically used for the trade of this commodity.  The risk profile is the 
same for C. latifolia from Australia as it would be for C. aurantiifolia (as classified using the Swingle system). 
3.4 Sampling “homogeneous lot” instead of “homogeneous grower lot”  
(30) Part 3 “Inspection, Verification and Documentation Requirements ” clause 3.1(1)a) in 
each of the standards requires sampling of each “homogeneous lot” instead of each 
“homogeneous grower lot”. 
(31) Pre-export inspection for phytosanitary certification is a requirement of import health 
standards for all fruit and vegetables for export to New Zealand. The purpose of 
inspection is to provide assurance of freedom from visually detectable regulated pests. 
(32) The minimum sample size for inspection must be based on a 95% confidence level that no more than 0.5% of the units in the lot are infested as set out in ISPM 31 (Methodologies for sampling of consignments ) Appendix 2.  
Ministry for Primary Industries   RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption • 5 (33) ISPM 31 states that for sampling for the purposes of phytosanitary inspection and 
certification : 
a. “A lot to be sampled should be a number of units of a single commodity identifiable by its homogeneity in factors such as origin; grower; packing facility; species, variety, or degree of maturity; exporter; area of production; regulated pests and their characteristics; treatment at origin; and type of processing.” 
b. “The cr iteria used by the NPPO [National Plant Protection Organisation] to 
distinguish lots should be consistently applied for similar consignments.” 
(34) For the fresh citrus standards, prescribing “grower” as a specific factor for homogeneity is not necessary.  
a. Exporting country national plant protection organisations (NPPOs) are responsible for determining and managing the criteria used to distinguish homogeneous lots in accordance with ISPM  31. 
b. Sampling each  homogeneous lot in accordance with ISPM 23 ( Guidelines for 
inspection) and ISPM 31 ( Methodologies for sampling of consignments ) is 
sufficient to provide confidence that the consignment is free of visually detectable regulated pests, as is required for export to New Zealand . 
i. MPI may prescribe the homogeneity factor for inspection (such as grower) in a standard when risk analysis in dicates a greater level of confidence is 
necessary to support exporting country phytosanitary assurance.  
(35) The amended standards do not include the struck-through word  in Clause 3.1(1)a): 
a. “sample each homogeneous grower lot of fresh [commodity].” 
3.5 Non-regulatory changes to the standard  
(36) MPI has made some changes to format of the standard to align with MPI’s current formatting and to ensure that the legal requirements are clear, consistently presented, and as easy as possible to understand.  
(37) These include: 
• Updating the New  Zealand Government logo 
• Including a reference and link to the guidance document Information on clearance of fresh fruit and vegetables for human consumption 
• Correcting a guidance box about vector-transmitted pathogens 
• Correcting minor typographical errors.  
(38) None of these changes alter the requirements  in the standard or the intent of the 
requirements . The y are minor changes in accordance with section 24B(2) of the 
Biosecurity Act and, as such, do not require consultation under section 23(3) of the Act.  
(39) These minor changes are mentioned  here for clarity and transparency. T hey are not  part 
of the consultation. 
4 Feasibility of the proposed change s to the standard  
All changes simplify the requirements of the standards and are trade- enabling.   6 • RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption Ministry for Primary Industries  5 References  
EFSA (2013) Scientific Opinion on the risk to plant health posed by Eutetranychus orientalis Klein in 
the EU territory, with the identification and evaluation of risk reduction options. EFSA Journal  11(7): 
3317. 
FAO (20 21a) Inte rnational Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 23. Guidelines for 
inspection. Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, Food and Agricultural 
Organization of the United Nations; Rome, Italy. https://www.ippc.int/en/publications/598/   
FAO (20 21b) International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 31. Methodologies for 
sampling of consignments . Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, Food and 
Agricultural Organization of the United Nations; Rome, Italy. 
https://www.ippc.int/en/publications/588/   
MPI (2021) Risk Management Proposal: Fresh citrus fruit ( Citrus spp.) for human consumption. 
Ministry for Primary Industries; New Zealand. https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/48235- Risk-
Management -Proposal- Fresh -citrus -fruit-Citrus -for-human-consumption   
MPI (2022) Import Risk Analysis: Citrus ( Citrus ) fresh fruit for human consumption. Version 1.2. 
Ministry for Primary Industries; New Zealand.  
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/48145- Import -risk-analysis -citrus -Citrus -spp.- fresh -fruit-for-
human-consumption-1.2   
MPI (2023) Import Risk Analysis: Decrowned pineapples ( Ananas comosus) for human consumption. 
Version 1.0. Ministry for Primary Industries; New Zealand . 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/57874- Import -risk-analysis -Decrowned -pineapples -Ananas-
comosus- for-human-consumption   
OEPP/EPPO (2004) Normes OEPP - EPPO Standards - Good plant protection practice - Bonne pratique phytosanitaire - PP 2/27(1). In (pp. 41- 56). 
 
Perring, T. M., El-Shafie, H. A., & Wakil, W. (2015). Carob moth, lesser date moth, and raisin 
moth. Sustainable pest management in date palm: Current status and emerging challenges , 109-167 . 
   
Ministry for Primary Industries   RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption • 7 6 Pests requiring measures by country  
Tahitian Lime  from  Australia  
Pest  Specific requirements  Vector -transmitted organism  
Chaetanaphothrips orchidii  Targeted   
Nipaecoccus viridis   Targeted   
Phyllosticta citricarpa  Targeted   
Scirtothrips dorsalis  Targeted   
Bactrocera aquilonis  MPI-specified   
Bactrocera frauenfeldi  MPI-specified   
Bactrocera jarvisi  MPI-specified   
Bactrocera kraussi  MPI-specified   
Bactrocera neohumeralis  MPI-specified   
Bactrocera tryoni  MPI-specified   
Ceratitis capitata  MPI-specified   
 
Lemon from  Mexico  
Pest  Specific requirements  Vector -transmitted organism  
Brevipalpus californicus [V] Targeted  Citrus leprosis viruses  
Brevipaplus obovatus [V] Targeted  Citrus leprosis viruses  
Brevipaplus phoenicis sensu lato [V] Targeted  Citrus leprosis viruses  
Chaetanaphothrips orchidii  Targeted   
Diaphorina citri [V] Targeted  Candidatus  Liberibacter spp.  
Eotetranychus lewisi  Targeted   
Scirtothrips dorsalis  Targeted   
Tetranychus kanzawai  Targeted   
Anastrepha fraterculus  MPI-specified   
Anastrepha ludens  MPI-specified   
Anastrepha obliqua  MPI-specified   
Anastrepha serpentina  MPI-specified   
 
Mandarin, Tangelo and Tangerine  from Morocco  
Pest  Specific requirements  Vector -transmitted organism  
Ceratitis capitata  MPI-specified   
 
Orange  from  Morocco  
Pest  Specific requirements  Vector -transmitted organism  
Ceratitis capitata  MPI-specified   8 • RMP: Amendments to the IHSs for fresh citrus for human consumption Ministry for Primary Industries   
Lemon from  Peru  
Pest  Specific requirements  Vector -transmitted organism  
Eotetranychus lewisi  Targeted   
Anastrepha fraterculus  MPI-specified   
Anastrepha obliqua  MPI-specified   
Anastrepha serpentina  MPI-specified   
Anastrepha striata  MPI-specified   
Ceratitis capitata  MPI-specified