Risk Management Proposal:  
Amendments to   
Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into 
New Zealand  (152.02)  and 
Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, (Litchi 
chinensis) from Thailand   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared for  public consultation   
by Horticulture Imports  
Animal and Plant Health Directorate  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
November 2022 
 
 
 
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 
 
Submissions  1 
1 General information  3 
1.1 Purpose  3 
1.2 Background  3 
1.3 Timing and consultation  3 
1.4 Background and context of consultation  3 
2 Biosecurity risks of lychees from Thailand  4 
3 Proposed changes to the standard  5 
4 Rationale for the proposed amendment to the lychee standards  6 
5 Feasibility of the proposed change to the standard  7 
6 References  8  
Ministry for Primary Industries   Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  • 1 Submissions  
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invites comment from interested parties on the 
proposed amendment s to import health standards Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit 
and Vegetables into New Zealand  (152.02 ) and Commodity Sub -class: Fresh  
Fruit/ Vegetables Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) from T hailand, which are supported by this risk  
management proposal.   
 
An import health standard “specifies requirements to be met for the effective management of 
risks associated with importing risk goods, including risks arising because importing the 
goods involves or might involve an incidentally imported new organism.” (section 22 , 
Biosecurity Act 1993)  
 
MPI would like feedback  on the following proposed amendments to  the standards . 
 
1. Removal of the current cold treatment schedule for lychee from Thailand to manage 
Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus cucurbitae  (syn. Bactrocera cucurbitae ) 
a) Fruit pulp temperature held at:  
– 0 ºC or below for 10 days  
– 0.56 ºC or below for 11 days  
– 1.11 ºC or below for 12 days  
– 1.67 ºC or below for 14 days  
2. Addition of a new cold treatment schedule for lychee from Thailand to manage 
Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus cucurbitae  
a) Fruit pulp temperature  kept at:  
– 1.0 °C or below for 17 days; or 
– 1.38 °C or below for 20 days  
 
Include the following  in your submission : 
• The title of the consultation document in the subject line of your email  
• Your name and title  
• Your organisation ’s name (if applicable)  
 
Send submissions to plantimports@mpi.govt.nz  by 7 December 2022 .  
Feel free to include any  technical information  you have  that support s your submission. We 
prefer email, but if you would like to send your submission by post, you can mail it  to: 
 
Horticultur e Imports  
Animal and Plant Health  Directorate  
Biosecurity New Zealand  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
  
2 • Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  Ministry for Primary Industries  Submissions received by  7 December 2022  will be considered while we  amend the  standard s. 
We may hold s ubmissions received after the clos ing date on file to consider when we next 
review  the standard s.  
 
 
Official Information Act 1982  
Please note that your submission is public information , and it is MPI policy to publish 
submissions and the review of 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  
commerci ally sensitive or personal. Any decision to withhold information requested under the 
OIA is reviewable by the Ombudsman .   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  • 3 1 General information  
1.1 Purpose  
(1) The purpose of this document is to:  
• Provide background information on the biosecurity risk s of Bactrocera  dorsalis and 
Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  on fresh lychee s (Litchi chinensis ) from Thailand ,  
• Set out the changes we are proposing to  the import requirements to manage these  
fruit flies,  
• Provide the rationale for the proposed changes and how they will effectively manage 
the biosecurity risk of these fruit flies , and  
• Ask for your feedback on the proposed changes . 
1.2 Background   
(2) The standard Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into 
New Zealand  came into force on 7 October 1999 and was last amended on 2 4 August  
2022. This standard was issued under section 24A of the Biosecurity Act 1993.   
(3) The standard Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) 
from Thailand  was issued on 8 May 2014.  The standard was issued under section 2 4A 
of the Bio security Act 1993 and applies to fresh lychee fruit for human consumption 
imported into New Zealand from Thailand . 
(4) The existing cold treatment schedule for lychee from T hailand  is outdated and does not 
manage the biosecurity risk of B. dorsalis  and Z. cucu rbitae  on fresh lychee s from 
Thailand.  The existing cold treatment  also does  not align with what is used 
internationally to  control these fruit flies . The proposed chang e to the time –temperature 
specifications will man age the biosecurity risk of these fruit flies.  
(5) The pathway for lychee s from Thailand is currently open , but inactive. The  pathway 
was last traded on  in 2015.   
1.3 Timing and consultation  
(6) The proposed amendments to the import health standards Importation and Clearance of 
Fresh Fruit and Vegetab les into New Zealand  (152.02) and Commodity Sub -class: 
Fresh Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, (Litchi chinensis)  from Thailand  were released for 
consultation on 7 November 2022 and will remain open for consultation until 7 
December 2022 . 
1.4 Background and context of consultation  
1.4.1 International  regulation of risk goods  
(7) “The World Trade Organi zation Agreement on the Application of  Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement)  sets in place rules that protect each country’s 
sovereign right to take the measures necessary to protect the life or health of its people, 
animals, and plants , while at the same time facilitating trade. It embodies and promotes 
the use of science -based risk assessments to manage the risks associated with the  
4 • Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  Ministry for Primary Industries  internati onal movement of goods. The SPS Agreement guide s how New Zealand sets 
standards and makes decisions related to biosecurity. ” (MAF et al., 2009, p. 1)  
(8) “In particular, [it is] important to maintain the standards of transparency and scientific 
rigour required  by the SPS Agreement and to make decisions as quickly as possible. 
This will encourage other countries to comply with the rules of the SPS Agreement and 
also demonstrate that New  Zealand’s strict controls are justified to countries that 
challenge them. ” (MAF et al., 2009 , p. 13) 
1.4.2 Domestic regulation of biosecurity risks associated with craft arrivals  
(9) The N ew Zealand  biosecurity system is regulated through the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the 
Act). Section 22 describes an import health standard and requires all risk goods entering 
New Zealand to be managed by one.  MPI is the N ew Zealand  government ministry 
responsible for ma intaining biosecurity  standards that effective ly manage risks 
associated with import ing risk goods and craft into N ew Zealand  (Part 3, Biosecurity 
Act 1993). MPI is committed to the principles of transparency and evidence -based 
technical justification for all phytosanitary measures  we impose on importing pathways , 
whether new or amended. MPI periodically reviews all biosecurity  standards  and related 
documents so that the legal requirements are clear and  so that  information is 
consistently presented and as easy as possible to understand.  
2 Biosecurity risks of lychee s from Thailand  
 
(10) Additional m easures to Basic Measures are needed to manage the biosecurity risk s of 
the tephritid fruit flies B. dorsalis  and Z. cucurbitae  on fresh lychee s. 
a)  The Oriental fruit fly (B. dorsalis ) is a pest of concern on fresh lychee s from 
Thailand.  
– It is present and widespread in Thailand , mainly in the north and in central 
Thailand  (Clarke et al. , 2001 ).  
– Litchi chinensis is a host of B. dorsalis  (MPI, 2007).  
– It is a regulated quarantine pest and absent from New Zealand (ONZPR , 2022).  
– This fruit fly attacks over 300 cultivated and wild fruits (Mau and Matin, 1992) 
including apple, avocado, citrus, cucumber, eggplant, mango, passionfruit, 
pumpkin, stonefruit, tomat o and watermelon ( MPI, 2007; Manrakhan  2020).  
– Oriental fruit flies are strong fliers and are highly mobile (Chu and Chiu, 1989, 
from MPI, 2007) with a maximum recorded flying distance of 265 km.  
b) The melon fly (Z. cucurbitae ) is a pest of concern on fresh l ychee s from Thailand.  
– It is present and widespread in Thailand (Clarke et al. , 2001 ).  
– Litchi chinensis is a host of Z. cucurbitae  (MPI, 2007).  
– It is a regulated quarantine pest and absent from New Zealand (ONZPR , 2022).  
– Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  is a very serious pest of cucurbit crops and has been 
recorded from over 125 plants. Its primary hosts are cucurbits . However , it also  
affect s apple, avocado, beans, blueberries, feijoa, fig, guava, mango, orange, 
passionfruit, peach, pear, pomelo and toma to (MPI, 2007; Bakri  2020).   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  • 5 – Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  are strong fliers, are very mobile and can readily travel 
30–50 km (Kawai et al., 1978 in MPI, 2007).  
c) The likelihood of these fruit flies entering New Zealand is high  (MPI, 2007) . 
d) The fruit  flies are highly  likely to  be exposed to suitable hosts in many parts of 
New  Zealand (MPI, 2007). Adult longevity (up to 222 days) is likely to enhance the 
chances  of adult flies finding a mate. There is no shortage of host plants all year 
round. Fruit left on the ground serve s as major breeding site s for reservoir 
population s for fruit fl ies overseas (Liquido, 1991 in MPI, 2007).  
e) Climatic conditions are highly likely to  facilitate the establishment of both flies, 
particularly in Auckland and the upper North Island (MPI, 2007).  
(11) The presence and establishment of tephritid fruit flies would have a significant impact 
on New Zealand’s economy.  
a) Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Z. cucurbitae  detections need to be reported internationally . 
New  Zealand will lose its country freedom s tatus , which  is likely  to result in reduced 
market access for New Zealand fruit fly host material (MPI, 2007).  
b) There will be a significantly reduced harvest for infested crops if fruit fl ies become 
established (MPI, 2007).  
c) Many horticultural commodities grown in New Zealand are at risk (see hosts and 
affected plants above). A fruit fly incursion in Te Puke was  estimated to cost 
between $ 2 million and $ 430 million per year  as multiple hosts would be affected  
(KVH, 2014).  
d) Apples  and pears  are a host for  both flies. Apples  and pears  were the second highest 
fresh fruit export from New Zealand in 2020, worth $ 847 million.  This market is 
expected  to be worth $1.2 billion by 2026 (MPI, 2022).  
(12) Tephritid fruit flies are not sufficiently managed or detected by Basic Measures alone or 
Targeted Measures.   
a) Bactrocera  dorsalis  is one of the most destructive insect pests of tropical and 
subtropical fruits and vegetables. It is highly polyphagous and highly adaptable to 
various climates, which has allowed it to spread  to temperate areas. Eggs laid in 
lychee s just before harvest and larvae feeding in fruit are likely to survive export to 
New  Zealand. If the lychees are shipped  by air freight , all life stages could survive 
and enter the country.  
b) Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  is a major, well -established pest on many fruit species in 
Thailand  (Ramadan & Messing, 2003) . Eggs laid in lychee s before  harvest are likely 
to survive export to New Zealand as either eggs or larvae. If the lychees are shipped 
by airfreight , all life stages c ould survive and enter the country.  
(13) The proposed requirements are consistent with New Zealand’s obligations under the 
SPS Agreement.  
3 Proposed changes to the standard  
(14) MPI proposes changing the time–temperature specifications in the current cold 
disinfestati on schedule for lychee s from Thailand.  The p roposed  time–temperatures are : 
Fruit pulp temperature held at:   
6 • Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  Ministry for Primary Industries  – 1 °C or below for 17 days, or  
– 1.38 °C or below for 20 days  
(15) We are also  changing the scientific name Bactrocera  cucurbitae to Zeugodacus 
cucurbitae , which is the current ly accepted name for this fruit fly. This is a minor 
amendment and is not part of this consultation.  
4 Rationale for the proposed amendment to the lychee 
standards  
(16) The current time–temperatures are :  
Fruit pulp temperature held at:  
– 0 ºC or below for 10 days  
– 0.56 ºC or below for 11 days  
– 1.11 ºC or below for 12 days  
– 1.67 ºC or below for 14 days  
(17) These time–temperature combinations are  outdated and do not manage the risk of 
B. dorsalis  or Z. cucurbitae  on lychee s from Thailand.   
(18) Some  life stages of Z. cucurbitae might  survive th is cold treatment.  
a) Myers et al. (2016) showed that third -instar larvae of Z. cucurbitae  can survive for 
12 da ys at 2 °C.  
b) Earlier research suggests that first -instar larvae may be more cold -tolerant than 
second - and third -instar larvae (Phillips et al., 1997).  
(19) Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  needs a more severe treatment than B. dorsalis . A cold 
treatment for Z. cucurbita e will also control B. dorsalis . 
a) The USDA Treatment Manual ’s treatment for B. dorsalis  and Z. cucurbitae  on 
lychee s is more severe  than the treatment  for B. dorsalis  alone  (USDA APHIS, 
2016) . 
b) Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  tolerates  cold better  than B. dorsalis  (Myers et al., 2016).  
(20) The new cold treatment  is used internationally for B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae  in 
lychee s. 
a) The USA and Australia use th is treatment for B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae  in 
lychee s from Thailand  (USDA APHIS, 2016 ; BICON, 2022 ). 
(21) Trade is unlikely to be affected because in-transit cold treatment will still be possible. 
Consignments from Thailand take a similar amount of time to reach Australia and 
New  Zealand , and the treatment is already used by Australia .  
(22) The proposed cha nge conforms with the recent amendment to MPI’s  standard  for 
lychee s from Taiwan . This amendment was made for the same reasons .  
(23) The proposed cold treatment  will manage the biosecurity risk s of B. dorsalis  and 
Z. cucurbitae  at all life stages on fresh lychee s from Thailand . 
   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  • 7 5 Feasibility of the proposed change to the standard  
(24) Cold treatment is already a n option  on this pathway. We are only changing the 
temperature  and time specifications.  
(25) Other countries with similar shippin g times for fruit from Thailand use these 
specifications to control B. dorsalis and Z. cucurbitae . The same treatment is  also an 
option for lychee s imported into New Zealand from Taiwan.  
   
8 • Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  Ministry for Primary Industries  6 References  
Bakri, A (2020) Bactrocera cucurbitae  (melon fly). Crop Protection Compendium . CABI; 
Wallingford, UK. DOI:10.1079/CPC.17683.20210104850. 
https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/17683  Accessed August 2022 . 
Biosecurity Act 1993. 
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0095/latest/DLM314623.html  
Chu, Y I; Chiu, H T (1989) The re -establishment of Dacus dorsalis  Hendel (Diptera: 
Tephritidae ) after its eradication on Lambay Island. Chinese Journal of Entomology , 9(2): 
217-230. 
Clarke, A.R., Allwood, A., Chinajariyawong, A., Drew, R.A.I., Hengsawad, C., Jirasurat, M., 
Krong, C.K., Kritsaneepaiboon, S. & Vijaysegaran, S (2001). Seasonal abundan ce and host 
use patterns of seven Bactrocera Macquart species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Thailand and 
Peninsular Malaysia.  Raffles Bulletin of Zoology , 49(2), 207 -220. 
DAFF (August 2022) Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON). Department 
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Canberra, ACT, Australia.  
https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0/ImportConditions/Search  Accessed August 
2022 .  
Kawai, A; Iwahashi, O; Ito, Y (1978) Movement of the sterilised melon fly from Kume 
Islands to adjacent islets. Review of Applied Entomology , 67: 5195.  
KVH (2014) Financial impact of a fruit fly incursion to New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry. 
Kiwifruit Vine Health; Mount Maunganui, NZ. https://kvh.org.nz/vdb/document/98983  
Accessed Aug 2022 . 
Liquido, N J (1991) Fruit on the ground as a reservoir of resident melon fly (Diptera: 
Tephritidae) populations in papaya orchards. Environmental Entomology , 20: 620 -625. 
Manrakhan A, 2020.  Bactrocera dorsalis  (oriental fruit fly). Crop Protection Compendium . 
Walling ford, UK: CABI. DOI:10.1079/CPC.17685.20210102450  Accessed August 2022.  
https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/17685  
MAF; MFAT; FSA (2009) Balance in Trade. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand, Food Safety Authority; Wellington, NZ. 
https://www. mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/12576 -balance -in-trade . 
Mau, R F L; Matin, J L (1992) Bactrocera dorsalis  Featured Creatures. Crop Knowledge 
Master . Extension entomology & UH -CTAHR Integrated Pest Management Program. 
University of Hawaiʻi; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. 
www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/Type/bactro_d.htm . Accessed August 2022.  
MPI (2007) Import Risk Analysis: Litchi chinensis  (Litchi) Fresh Fruit from Taiwan. Ministry 
for Primary In dustries; Wellington, New Zealand. 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/2883/direct Accessed August 2022 . 
MPI (2022) Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries. 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/51754 -Situation -and-Outlook -for-Primary -Industries -
SOPI -June-2022  Accessed September 2022   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Risk Management Proposal for Cold Treatment of Fresh Lychee from Thailand  • 9 Myers, S W; Can cio-Martinez, E; Hallman, G J; Fontenot, E A; Vreysen, A J B (2016) 
Relative tolerance of six Bactrocera (Diptera: Tephritidae) species to phytosanitary cold 
treatment. Journal of Economic Entomology, 109 (6): 2341 -2347. DOI: 10.1093/jee/tow206.   
ONZPR (2022) Official New Zealand Pest Register. Ministry for Primary Industries; 
Wellington, NZ. https://pierpestregister.mpi.govt.nz/  Accessed August 2022.  
Phillips, T W; Sanxter, S S; Armstrong, J W;  Moy, J H (1997) Quarantine treatments for 
Hawaiian fruit flies: recent studies with irradiation, heat and cold. Proceeding of the Annual 
International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions 
Reductions, pp. 117 -1 and 117 -2. 
https://www.ippc.int/static/media/files/publications/en/2013/06/05/1193997488824_2007_TP
PT_15a_ recent_research.pdf  Accessed August  2022.  
Ramadan, M. M., & Messing, R. H. (2003). A survey for potential biocontrol agents of 
Bactrocera cucurbitae  (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Thailand.  Hawaiian Entomological Society 
36:115 –122. 
USDA APHIS (2016) Treatment Manual. United States Department of Agriculture Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service; Washington, D.C., USA. 
https://www .aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pdf  
Accessed August 2022 .