IHS Fresh  Fruit/Vegetables  Lyche e (Litchi chinensis .) from Thailand   [DATE]  
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Import Health Standard  
Commodity sub -class: Fresh fruit/vegetables  
 
 
Lychee  
 (Litchi chinensis ) 
from Thailand  
 
 
Issued pursuant to section 24A (formerly s 22) of the Biosecurity 
Act 1993  
Date Issued:   
IHS Fresh  Fruit/Vegetables  Lyche e (Litchi chinensis .) from Thailand   [DATE]  
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 Commencement  
 
This consolidated impor t health sta ndard comes into force [DATE] . This import health standard 
amends the  import health standard  Commodity Sub -class: Fr esh Fruit/Veg etables  
Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) from Thailand , which came into force on  8 May 20 14, and 
consolidates a ll amendmen ts made up to the commencement of this notice.  
 
Issuing authority  
 
This import health  standard is issued under section 24A of the Biosecurity Act 1993 and 
incorporates amendments made in accordance with section 24B(1)(a) of that Act.  
 
Dated at Wellington. 
 
 
 
 
 
Peter  Thomson  
Director  
Animal & Plant Health 
Ministry for Prima ry Industries  
 
(acting under delegated authority  of the Director General ) 
 
 
Review and amendment  
 
New Zealand import health standards a re sub ject to periodic review and amendment.  
New Zealand impo rt health standards are up dated and republished as necessary with the  most  
recent v ersion publi shed on the Ministry for Primary Industries  (MPI)  website.  
 
Distribution  
 
Import health standard s are d istribu ted by MPI. They are made available f or public ac cess on the 
MPI website: https://www.mpi .govt.nz/legal/compliance -requirements/ihs -import -health -
stand ards/  
 
 
  
IHS Fresh  Fruit/Vegetables  Lyche e (Litchi chinensis .) from Thailand   [DATE]  
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 IMPORT HEALTH STANDARD: FRESH FRUIT/VEGETABLE S 
 
Lychee  (Litchi chinensis ) from Thailand . 
 
 
Contents  
 
Part A. Ba ckground  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  4 
Part B. General phytosanitary import requirements fo r all fresh fruit and vegetables for 
consumption  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  5 
Part C. Additional requirements for lychee from Thailand  ................................ .......................  5 
Part D. Phytosanit ary certification  ................................ ................................ ............................  6 
Part E. Specified r egulated pest list for lychee from Thailand  ................................ ..................  9 
Appendix 1: Verification activities on arri val in New Zealand  ................................ ..............  11 
 
  
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 Part A. Background  
Scope  
This document describes the requirements to be met to enable biosecurity clearance to be given 
for fresh lychee  fruit (Litchi  chine nsis) for human consumption imported into N ew Zealand from 
Thailand . The commodity description “ lychee ” for human consumption is defined as 
commercially produced lychee fruit with calyx and peduncle, but without stems, leaves, roots or 
any other plan t parts.  
Definitions  
The definitions of relevant  phytosanitary terms used in  this standard are consistent with the terms 
stated in the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No.5 , produced by the 
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC ), unless the context otherwise requires or the 
definition is stated below.  
Import health standard  means a document issued pursuant to section 2 4A (formerly s ection 22)  
of the Biosecurity Act 1993 on behalf of the Director General permitting entry to New  Zealand  of 
a specific product un der certain condit ions.  
MPI Import and Export Standards means the sec tion within the Ministry for Primary Industries  
which is responsible for regulatory biosecurity functions.  
Maximum allowable prevalence  means the level of  infesta tion th at is the threshol d, above which 
phytosanitary actions based on inspection would be app lied. 
Unit means one lychee  fruit.  
Regulated organisms  means those organisms for which phytosanitary actions would be 
undertaken if they were intercepted/ detected . 
Outco me 
The agreed pre -shipment phytosani tary measures for specific regulated pests have bee n 
undertaken and the lychees are  free of all regulated pests.  
Performance measure  
The high risk regulated organisms as in Part C  require specific risk mit igation measure s.  
 
The Maximum A llowable Prevalenc e for visually detectable regulated organisms on fr esh 
fruit/vegetables is as follows: At a 95% confidence level, not more than 0.5% of the units in the 
consignment are infested (this equates to an accepta nce leve l of ze ro units infested by regulated 
organ isms in a sample size of 600 units).  
 
  
IHS Fresh  Fruit/Vegetables  Lyche e (Litchi chinensis .) from Thailand   [DATE]  
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 Equivalence  
Under section 22 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, MPI can amend the relevant IHS by adding an 
approved equivalent measure; once that measure is proven to mai ntain at  least the same level of 
protection assured  by the measures in this IHS. Equivalence is determ ined by MPI in accordance 
with ISPM No.24: Guidance for the determination and recognition of equivalence of 
phytosanitary measures (2005).  
Part B. Genera l phytos anitary  import requiremen ts for all fresh 
fruit and vegetables for consumption  
The import heal th standard 152.02 (IHS152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and 
Vegetables into New  Zealand) contains the phytosanitary requirements that must  be met for all  
fresh fruit and v egetable commoditi es that are allowed to be imported into New Zealand . The 
IHS 152.02 outlines transit requirements, inspections on arrival in New Zealand and actions 
undertaken upon organism interceptions.  
 
The import heal th stand ard 152 .02 can be found a t the MPI website 
(http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/ihs/152 -02.pdf ). 
Part C. Additional requirements for lychee  from Thailand  
Phytosanitary measures  
All lyche e fruit  for export to New  Zealand must be s ourced from orchards that produce 
commercial lychee  fruit under standard cultivation, pest -control, harvesting and packing 
activities. During harvest, infested, infected or damaged fruit must be discarded prior to  
treatm ent.  
MPI requires  a mandatory pre -export treatment of lychee fruit for high risk regul ated organisms, 
including economically significant fruit fly species. MPI currently approves vapour heat 
treatment or cold disinfestation or irradiation a t the fo llowing  specifications  for fruit flies :  
Vapour heat 
treatment  (VHT)  Lychees must be treated with vapour heat and the temperature must be raised from ambient 
to 47 °C or greater and held for a minimum of 20 minutes.   
 
Cold disinfestation  Prior to arrival in New Zealand, the core temperature of the  fruit must be held continuously at 
one of the following temperature/time combinations:  
Fruit pulp temperature held at:  
1 °C or below for 17 days  
1.38 °C or below for 20 days  
 
Irradiation  Irradiation with a mini mum dos e of 250 Gy. 
 
  
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 MPI requires specif ic pre-export phytosanitary meas ures for Conogethes punctiferalis . MPI 
currently approves the use of in -field pest control for Lepidoptera species throughout the 
production season or irradiation at a mi nimum dose rate of 2 50 Gy.  
MPI requires specific pre -export phytosanitary measu res for fruit flies of economic signif icanc e. 
MPI currently approves vapour  heat treatment ( Appendix 1 ); or cold disinfestation  (Appendix 2) ; 
or irradiation (Appendix 4); these  measu res are to be carried out in ac cordance with IHS  152.02 
and the official assurance programme.  
The application of the  irradiation treatment (Appendix 4) must be carried out in accordance with 
the ISPM  No.18 Guidelines for the use of irradiation as a phytos anitary measur e. MPI a pprove s 
the below irradiat ion doses :  
- Fruit flies with a m inimum dose rate of 150 Gy  
- Conogethes  punctiferalis  with a minimum dose rate of 250 Gy  
- Other IHS regulated arthropod pests1 with a minimum dose rate of 400 Gy  
Inspection of the  consignment  
Once the phytos anitary measures hav e been undertaken for high risk regulated organisms, the 
Thailand NPP O is required to sample and visually inspect the consignment according to official 
procedures for all regulated pests including those  listed in Part E, to ensure it meets 
New Zealand’s current import requirements. Wh ere Appendix 4 (irradiation) is the phytosanitary 
measure to be undertaken, inspection will occur pre treatment . Where a regulated ar thropo d pest 
is dete cted on the co mmodity and Appendix  4 (irradiation) is the intended  pre-export 
phytosanitary measure, ap propriate irradiation dosages must be applied by Thailand’s NPPO. 
Alternative approved corrective actions may be conducted (e.g. meth yl bro mide fumigatio n), or 
the fru it shall not  be expo rted to New Zealand.  
Where Appe ndix 2 (cold disinfestation) is the p hytosanitary measure to be undertaken, inspection 
will occur pre or post application of the phytosanitary measure ; inspection will oc cur af ter 
phytosanit ary meas ure ha s been undertaken fo r Appendix 1 (vapour heat treatm ent).  
A phytosanitary certificate sh ould not be issued if live regulated organism(s) are detected, unless 
the consignment is effectively treated. If organisms are found which are not listed  in the IHS 
Thailand’s NPPO must e stablish their regulatory status  by consulting the MPI “ Official 
New  Zealand Pest Register ” (ONZPR ), online at https://onzp r.mpi.govt.nz/ .  
If an organism is not listed in  ONZPR , Thailand’s NPPO must  contact MP I to establish the 
regulatory status of the organism.  
Part D. Phytosanitary certification  
A completed phytosanitary certi ficate issued by Th ailand’s NPPO must accom pany all lychee 
consignments exported to New Zealand . The phytosanitary certific ate must be  in English and 
must be an original. Bilingual certificates are acceptable as long as English is one of the 
languages.   
 
1 These regulated pests include those listed on this IHS that are not known to vector diseases.   
IHS Fresh  Fruit/Vegetables  Lyche e (Litchi chinensis .) from Thailand   [DATE]  
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 Before a phytosanitar y certifi cate is issued,  Thailand’s  NPPO must be satisfied that the followin g 
activities have been under taken. 
The lychees in this consignment have : 
(i) been inspected in accordance with appropriate official procedures and found to be free 
from regulated pests , specifi ed by the New Zealand  Ministry for Primary Industries . 
 
AND  
 
(ii) been t reated by irradiation at a m inimum abso rbed dose of 250 Gy for Conogethes 
punctiferalis . 
 
OR 
 
been managed using in -field controls for Conogethes punctiferalis . 
AND  
 
(iii) been treated i n accorda nce with Append ix 1; or Appendix 2; or Appendix 4 of the official 
assurance programme between N ew Zealand  Ministry for Primary Industries  and the 
Thailand Department of Agriculture . 
Additional declarations to the phytosanitary c ertificate 
If satis fied that  the pre -shipme nt phytosan itary measures  have been undertaken effec tively, 
Thailand’s  NPPO must  confirm th is by providing the following additional declarations to the 
phytosanitary certificate:  
 
The lychees in this consignment have:  
(i) been inspecte d in acco rdance with app ropriate of ficial procedures and found to be free 
from regulated pests, specifie d by the New Zealand  Ministry for Primary Industries . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AND  
 
(ii) been treated by irradiation at a minimum absorbed dose of 250 Gy for Conogethes 
punctiferalis . 
 
OR 
 
been man aged using in-field controls for Conogethes punctife ralis.  
 
 NOTE:  Compliance with this a dditional de claration is not necessary for  
arthropo ds if the Thailand NPPO certifies export of this consignment under 
Appendix 4. The consignment may contain live (but infertile or unable t o emerge 
from pupation ) regulated arthropod p ests.    
IHS Fresh  Fruit/Vegetables  Lyche e (Litchi chinensis .) from Thailand   [DATE]  
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 AND  
 
(iii) been treated in accordan ce with Appendix 1; or Appendix 2; or Appendix 4 of the official 
assurance programme between N ew Zealand  Ministry for Primary Industries  and 
Thailand Department of Agriculture . 
 
 
 NOTE:  Full de tails of the  vapour heat treatment (temper ature and  duration)  or 
cold disinfestation  (temperatu re and duration) or irradiation (including dosages ) 
must be included in th e “Disinfestation an d/or Disinfection Treatment ” area of 
the phyt osanitary certif icate or as an end orsed attachment to the phytos anitary 
certificate . 
 
Cold disinfestation completed p re-export must have treatment details such as 
date, temperature, and durat ion of the cold disi nfestation included in the 
treatment section of the phytosani tary c ertificate.  
 
For cold disinfestation comp leted in -transit; p rintouts of all temperature sensor s 
or direct electronic downloads are to be made available to MPI at the po rt of 
arrival in New  Zealand for final clearanc e of the container . 
  
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 Part E . Specified r egulated pest li st for lychee  from Thailand  
 
Scientific  name Organism type  Common name  Actions on interception  
Meliola eupaniae -majoris  fun sooty mould  2 
Peronophythora litchi i fun downy blosso m blight 2 
Phytophthora palmivora  fun black rot  2 
Achaea janata  ins castor oil looper  2 or 4  
Aleurocan thus woglum i ins citrus blackfly  2 or 4  
Aonidiella orientalis  ins oriental red scale  2 or 4  
Bactrocera dorsalis  ins oriental fruit  fly 3 or 4 
Ceropl astes pseu doceriferus  ins horned wax scale 2 or 4  
Ceroplastes rubens  ins pink wax scale  2 or 4  
Chrysomp halus aonidum  ins Florida red scale  2 or 4  
Chrysomphalus dictyospermi  ins Spanish red scale  2 or 4  
Coccus viridis  ins soft green s cale 2 or 4 
Conoge thes punct iferalis  ins yellow pea ch moth 2a or 4  
Conopomorpha cramerell a ins cocoa pod borer  2 or 4  
Conopomorpha litc hiella  ins litchi leafminer  2 or 4  
Conopomorpha sinensis  ins litchi fruit borer  2 or 4  
Cryptophlebia ombrodelta  ins macad amia nut borer  2 or 4 
Deudorix epijarbas  ins Cornelian butterfly  2 or 4  
Dudua aprobo la ins brown tortrix  2 or 4  
Eublemma brachygon ia ins flower caterpillar  2 or 4  
Eublemma versicolor  ins flower caterpillar  2 or 4  
Eudocima fullonia  ins fruit-pierc ing m oth 2 or 4  
Eudocima sal aminia  ins fruit-pierci ng moth 2 or 4  
Ferrisia virga ta ins guava mealybug  2 or 4  
Henosepilach na vigintiocto punctata  ins hadda beetle  2 or 4  
Icerya seychellarum  ins Okada cottony -cushion scale  2 or 4  
Leptoglossus gonagra  ins coreid bug 2 or 4  
Megalurot hrips distalis  ins cereal thrips 2 or 4  
Nipaecoccus viridis  ins spherical mealybug  2 or 4  
Oecophylla smarag dina ins red tree ant  2 or 4  
Orgyia postica  ins cocoa tussock moth  2 or 4  
Paracoccus interceptus  ins mealybug  2 or 4 
Parasa lepida  ins nettle c aterpillar  2 or 4  
Pinnaspis strachani  ins Hibiscus s now scale  2 or 4  
Planococcus litchi  ins litchi mealybug  2 or 4  
Pseudococcus comstocki  ins Comstock mealybug  2 or 4  
Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi  Ins Jack Beardsley mealybug  2 or 4 
Pulvinaria  psidii ins green shield scale  2 or 4 
Selenothrips rubrocinctus  ins coco a thrips  2 or 4  
Tessaratoma java nica ins litchi stink bug  2 or 4  
Tessaratoma papillosa  ins litchi stink bug  2 or 4  
Thrips hawaiiensis  ins Hawaiian flower thrips  2 or 4 
Tirathaba r ufivena ins fruit borer  2 or 4   
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 Xyleborus fornicatus  ins tea sho thole bor er 2 or 4  
Xylotrupes gideon  ins elephant beetle  2 or 4  
Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  ins melon fly  3 or 4  
 
 
 
Actions on interception   
  
2 Treat, resort, reship or destr oy.   
2a Treat, reship or d estroy. Suspend pathway.  
3 Reship or destroy. Suspend pathway.  
4 Action dependent on pest int erception an d irradiation dosage certified 
as the pre -export measure.  
 
Note: The suspension of the pathway could be at the productio n area, packhouse , state or country 
level, d epending o n the significance of the pest interceptio n.  
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 Appendix 1: Verificati on activitie s on arrival in New Zealand  
MPI will inspect documentation on arrival in New Zealand.  In addition, MPI may inspect a 
sample from  each lot  on arrival  in New Zealand to verify requirements of the IHS have been met.  
 
Actions undertaken upon inter ception of irradiated regulated pests  
As the required response of regulated arthropod pests that have undergone the irradiation 
treatment is preventi on of adult  emergence or ad ult steril ity (not mortality) a possibility exists 
that live (but infertile or unable to em erge from pupation ) regulated arthropods may be present in 
a consignment.  
In accordance with section 8.3 of ISPM 18 (20 11) when mortality  is not the  required respon se, 
the de tection of live stages of regulated  pests in import inspection should  not be cons idered to 
represent treatment failure resulting in non -compliance unless evidence exists to indicate that the 
integrity o f the treatment s ystem was i nadequate .  
MPI reserves t he right for an analysis to be conducted o n the detected regulated pe st to verify  
treatment efficacy .