Risk Management Proposal:  
Amendments to the import health standards  
152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit 
and Vegetables into New Zealand , and  
Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  
Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) from Taiwan  
 
 
 
Cold disinfestation  to manage Bactrocera dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  on fresh 
lychee  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Prepared for  public consultation   
by Horticulture Imports Team  
Animal and Plant Health Directorate  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
June 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 to consultation  3 
2 Biosecurity risk associated with fresh lychee from Taiwan  4 
3 Proposed changes to the sta ndard  6 
3.1 Proposed changes to the requirements for fresh lychee from Taiwan  6 
4 Rationale for the proposed amendment to the lychee standards  6 
5 Feasibility of the proposed cha nge to the standard  7 
6 References  8 
Appendix 1: Cold treatment used f or lychee in other importing countries  10  
Ministry for Primary Industries  Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  • 1 Submissions  
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invites comment from interested parties on the 
proposed amendment to  import health standards (IHSs)  152.02: Importation and Clearance of 
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand  and Commodity Sub -class: Fresh 
Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) from Taiwan , which is 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 ri sks 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 update s to the cold disinfestation 
treatment schedule in the above standards : 
1. Remov al of the current  cold treatment schedule for lychee from Taiwan to manage 
Bactrocera dorsalis  and Zeugodacus cucurbitae  (syn. Bactrocera  cucurbitae ) 
a. Fruit pulp temperature at 1.0°C or below  for 13 continuous days  
2. Addition of  a new treatment schedule for lychee from Taiwan to manage 
Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  (syn. Bactrocera  cucurbitae ) 
a. 1.0°C or below  for 17 continuous days, or  
b. 1.38°C or below  for 20 continuous 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 submis sions to plantimports@mpi.govt.nz  by 5pm Wednesday 13 July 2022.   
Feel free to include any  technical information  you have  that support s your submission. While 
we prefer email, if  you would like to send your s ubmission by post, you can mail it  to: 
Horticulture Imports  
Animal and Plant Health  Directorate  
Biosecurity New Zealand  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
New Zealand  
Submissions received by  5pm Wednesday 13 July 2022 will be considered during the 
amendment  of the standard s. Submissions received after the clos ing date may be held on file 
for consideration when the standard s are next revised  or reviewed.  
  2 • Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  Ministry for Primary Industries  Official Information Act 1982  
Please note that your submission i s 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 infor mation 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  Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  • 3 1 General information  
1.1 Purpose  
(1) The purpose of this document is to:  
• Provide relevant background information on the biosecurity risk of Bactrocera 
dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae on fresh lychee ( Litchi chinensis ) from 
Taiwan , 
• Set out  the proposed amendments to the import requirements for fresh lychee from 
Taiwan for the  management of fruit flies,  
• Provide the rationale for the proposed amendment to the standards  and how it 
manage s risk, and  
• Ask for  stakeholder feedback on the proposed amendment to the import 
requirement for fresh lychee from Taiwan.  
1.2 Background   
(2) The standa rd Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) 
from Taiwan  was issued  on 5 October 2007  and last amended  on 24 June 2021.  This 
standard was issued under s  24A (formerly section  22) of the Biosecurity Act 1993 and 
applies to fresh lychee that is imported into New Zealand from Taiwan . The standard 
152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand  
came into force on 7 October 1999 and was last amended on 20 April 2022 . This 
standard was issued under section 24A of the Biosecurity Act  1993 . 
(3) In 2021, Bactrocera  dorsalis was detected on vapour heat treated fresh lychee from 
Taiwan . MPI is reviewing the phytosanitary measures on the pathway. Imports of 
vapour heat treated lychee from Taiwan remain suspended whil e we continue to review 
that treatment . The current proposal to amend the cold treatment schedule does not 
impact the review of the vapour heat treat ment  pathway.  
(4) The existing cold treatment sched ule of 1°C for 13 days does not manag e the risk of 
Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae on fresh lychee from Taiwan.   
1.3 Timing and consultation  
(5) The proposed amendments to the import health standards  Importation and Clearance of 
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand  (152.02 ) and Import Health Standard 
Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) from Taiwan  
were released for consultation on 13 June 2022  and will remain open for consultation 
until 13 July 2022 . 
1.4 Background and context to consultation  
1.4.1 International  regulation of risk goods  
(6) “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 4 • Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  Ministry for Primary Industries  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 ass essments to manage the risks associated with the 
international 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)  
(7) “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 th at 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  
(8) 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 maintaining biosecurity standards for the effective management of risks 
associated with the importation of 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, new and amended,  
imposed on importing pathways. MPI periodically reviews all import health  standards, 
related documents and other standards so that the legal requirements are clear , and 
information is consistently presented and as easy as possible to understand.  
2 Biosecuri ty risk associated with fresh lychee from Taiwan  
(9) Measures are needed to manage the biosecurity risk posed by the Tephritid fruit flies 
Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  on fresh lychee . The conclusions of 
MPI’s  2007 Import Risk Analysis: Litchi chinensis  (Litchi) Fresh Fruit  from Taiwan  
regarding the biosecurity risk of these fruit flies have not changed . 
a. Bactrocera dorsalis  (Oriental fruit fly) is a pest of concern on fresh lychee from 
Taiwan . 
i. It is present and widespread in Taiwan (MPI, 2007; Leblanc, 2020).  
ii. It is a regulated quarantine pest and absent from New Zealand (ONZPR 2022).  
iii. Litchi chinensis  is a host of Oriental fruit fly (MPI, 2007).  
iv. This f ruit fly  attacks  over 300 cultivated and wild fruits (Mau and Matin, 
1992 in MPI, 2007) including apple, avocado, citrus, cucumber, eggplant, 
mango, passionfruit, pumpkin, stonefruit, tomato and watermelon (Leblanc 
2020).  
v. Oriental fruit flies  are strong fl iers and are highly mobile (Chu and Chiu, 
1989, from MPI, 2007) with a maximum recorded flying distance of  265 km. 
b. Zeugodacus  cucurbitae (melon fly) is a pest of concern on fresh lychee from 
Taiwan .  
Ministry for Primary Industries  Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  • 5 i. It is present  and widespread in Taiwan (MPI , 2007 ; Bakri , 2020 ). 
ii. It is a regulated quarantine pest  and absent from New Zealand (ONZPR , 
2022) . 
iii. Litchi chinensis  is a host of melon fly (MPI , 2007).  
iv. Melon fly  is a very serious pest of cucurbit crops and has been recorded from 
over 125 plants. Primary hosts are cucurbits, however other plants affected 
include apple, avocado, beans, blueberries, feijoa, fig, guava, mango, orange, 
passionfruit, peach, pear, pomelo and tomato ( MPI, 2007 ; Bakri , 2020).  
v. Melon flies  are strong fliers , are very mobile  and can readily travel 30 –50 km 
(Kawai et al. , 1978  in MPI, 2007 ). 
c. The likelihood of entry for both fruit flies is very high (MPI , 2007).  
d. It is highly likely that both flies would be exposed to suitable hosts in many parts 
of New Zealand (MPI , 2007). Adult longevity ( up to 222 days) is likely to enhance 
the likelihood of adult flies finding a mate. There would be no shortage of host 
plants available all year round. Fruit left on the ground serve as a major bree ding 
site and reservoir population for fruit fly overseas  (Liquido , 1991  in MPI, 2007 ). 
e. It is highly likely that climatic conditions would facilitate the establishment of both 
flies, particularly in Auckland and the upper North Island (MPI , 2007).  
(10) The presence and establishment of tephritid fruit flies would have a significant impact 
on New Zealand’s  economy . 
a. Bactrocera  dorsalis  or Zeugodacus  cucurbitae detection s need to be reporte d 
internationally and w ill likely result in reduced market access fo r New  Zealand 
fruit fly host material  (MPI , 2007) .  
b. There will be a significant ly reduc ed harvest for infested crops if fruit fly become  
establish ed (MPI , 2007).  
c. Many horticultural commodities are at risk (see hosts and affected plants above).  
The financia l impact of a  fruit fly  incursion is estimated to cost between $2 million 
and $430 million per year ( KVH , 2014).  
d. Apples  can be infested with both flies and  were the second highest fresh fruit 
export from New Zealand in 2020, worth $876.3 million ( Plant & Food Research , 
2020) . Total fresh fruit exports were worth $3.7 billion, and fresh vegetable  exports 
were  worth $301 million ( Plant & Food Research , 2020).  
(11) 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 l aid in a 6 • Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  Ministry for Primary Industries  lychee fruit just before  harvest and larvae feeding in fruit are likely to survive 
export to New Zealand. If travelling by air, all life stages could survive and enter 
the country.  
b. Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  is a major, well -established pest on many fr uit species in 
Taiwan.  Eggs laid in a lychee fruit prior to harvest would be expected to survive 
export to New Zealand as either eggs or larvae. If travelling by air, all life stages 
could survive and enter the country.  
(12) Given the biosecurity risks posed by  the fruit flies Bactrocera dorsalis  and Zeugodacus 
cucurbitae  on fresh lychee (as outlined in this document), MPI is satisfied that the 
proposed requirements are consistent with New Zealand’s obligations under the SPS 
Agreement . 
3 Proposed changes to the standard  
3.1 Proposed changes to the requirements for fresh lychee from Taiwan  
(13) MPI proposes changing the current cold disinfestation schedule for lychee from Taiwan 
(1°C or below for 13 days) to the below schedule:  
a. 1°C or below for 17 days, or  
b. 1.38°C or below for 20 days.  
(14) MPI also proposes two minor changes : 
a. Updating  the name Bactrocera cucurbitae  to Zeugodacus cucurbitae  in the 
standard s for lychee from Taiwan . Zeugodacus cucurbitae  is the current accepted 
scientific name for this fly.  
b. Removing “Part 7: Contingencies following biosecurity clearance ” from the 
standard  Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables Lychee, ( Litchi chinensis ) 
from Taiwan . This section is no longer consistent with Part 5 of the Act  and is not 
in other fresh prod uce import health standards.  
4 Rationale for the proposed amendment to the lychee  
standards   
(15) Cold disinfestation at 1ºC or below for 13 days  was previously accepted to manag e 
Tephritid  fruit flies on this pathway. Following a review of this treatment, MPI 
concluded this schedule is outdated and does not  manag e the risk of Bactrocera  dorsalis  
and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae on lychee from Taiwan.  
(16) The 2007 Litchi chinensis  import risk analysis used efficacy data from experiments on 
cold treatment on longan . Longan has a  similar size and shape to lychee , and the 2007 
risk analysis extrapolate d cold treatments for lychee using the longan  data. However, 
these two commodities are from different genera a nd may have different risk profiles, 
needing treatments that are specific to the fruit.   
Ministry for Primary Industries  Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  • 7 (17) The longan data that was used in the risk analysis was for second - and third -instar 
larvae of Oriental fruit fly ( Bactrocera  dorsalis ). Previous  research has suggested that 
first-instar larvae may be more cold -tolerant tha n second - and third -instar larvae 
(Phillips et al. , 1997) . To ensure all fruit fly life stages are appropriately managed, a 
more severe cold disinfestation schedule should be implemented on the pathway.  
(18) Although the risk analysis used data for Bactrocera  dorsalis , Zeugodacus  cucurbitae  is 
also more cold  tolerant tha n Bactrocera  dorsalis (USDA APHIS, 2008; Myers et al., 
2016) and needs  a more severe cold treatment schedule. This is supported by th e current 
cold treatment schedule s for lychee  in the United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA)  Treatment Manual  (USDA APHIS, 2016) . The  USDA  Treatment Manual  lists 
a more severe treatment for managing Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae 
on lychee compared to managing only Bactrocera  dorsalis on lychee (see Appendix 1 
for detail of schedules).  The proposed cold treatment schedule is also used by Australia 
for importing fresh lychee from Taiwan. Shipments from Taiwan take a simi lar time to 
get to both Australia and New Zealand . 
(19) Based on the points mentioned above in paragraphs 1 7 and 1 8, MPI has concluded that 
the cold treatment schedule outlined in the USDA Treatment Manual  for managing 
Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbi tae on lychee, treatment schedule T107 -h 
(USDA APHIS, 2016) , will manag e the risk.   
(20) MPI notes that the cold treatment schedule for importing lychee  from Thailand is 
similar to the current schedule for importing lychee from Taiwan (see Appendix 1 for 
detail of lychee schedules).  The lychee pathway  is open and able to be traded on, but 
lychee has not been imported from Thailand since 2015.  MPI is reviewing th is pathway 
and work ing to update the treatment schedule  to ensure the risk is appropriately 
managed.  
5 Feasibility of the proposed change to the standard  
(21) Cold treatment is already an approved treatment on this pathway. We are only changing  
temperature/time specifications.  
(22) Cold treatment at 1°C or below for 17 days, or 1.38°C or below for 20 days will manag e 
the biosecurity risk of both Bactrocera  dorsalis  and Zeugodacus  cucurbitae at all life 
stages on the fresh lychee from Taiwan pathway.  
(23) The proposed cold treatment is used by other countries for fresh lychee from Taiwan . 
  8 • Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  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 May 2022.  
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. 
DAWE  (3 June 2021 ) Australia n Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON). 
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment ; Canberra, ACT, Australia.  
https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0  Accessed December 2021.  
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) Financia l 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 
May 2022.  
Leblanc , L (2020 ) Bactrocera d orsalis  (oriental fruit fly). Crop Protection Compendium.  
CABI; Wallingford, UK. DOI:10.1079/CPC.17685.20210102450 . 
https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/17685  Accessed May 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. 
MAF ; MFAT ; FSA (2009) Balance in Trade.  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry 
of Foreig n 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 dorsali s Featured Creatures . Crop Knowledge 
Master.  Extension entomology & UH -CTAHR Integrated Pest Management Program . 
University of Hawai ʻi; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. 
www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/Type/bactro_d.htm . Accessed June 2022.  
MPI (2007) Import Risk Analysis: Litchi chinensis (Litchi) Fresh Fruit from Taiwan . Ministry 
for Primary Indus tries; Wellington, New Zealand. 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/2883/direct  Accessed December 2021.  
Myers, S W; Cancio -Martinez, E; Hallman, G J; Fontenot, E A; Vreysen, A J B (2016) 
Relat ive 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 (202 2) Official New Zealand Pest Register . Ministry for Primary Industries; 
Wellington, NZ. https://pierpestregister.mpi.govt.nz/  Accessed May 2022 .  
Ministry for Primary Industries  Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  • 9 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_TPPT_15a_
recent_research.pdf  Accessed December  2021.  
Plant & Food Research  (2020) Fresh Facts : New Zealand Horticulture . The New Zealand 
Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand.  
https://www.freshfacts.co.nz/files/freshfacts -2020.pdf  Accessed May 2022.  
USDA APHIS (2008) Treatment evaluation document for cold treatments T107 -h and T107 -j. 
Document ID APHIS -2007 -0161-0004. United States Department of Agriculture Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service ; Washington, D.C., USA . 
https://www.regulations.gov/document/APHIS -2007 -0161 -0004  Accessed January 2022.  
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 
December 2021.  
  10 • Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  Ministry for Primary Industries  Appendix 1: Cold treatment used for lychee in other importing 
countries  
Country of 
origin  Pests  Cold treatment schedule  Source  
Thailand  B. dorsalis  
Z. cucurbitae  0°C or below for 10 days  
0.56°C or below for 11 days  
1.11°C or below for 12 days  
1.67°C or below for 14 days  IHS 152.02: Importation and 
Clearance of Fresh Fruit and 
Vegetables into New Zealand  
Taiwan  B. dorsalis  
Z. cucurbitae  1°C or below for 13 days  IHS 152.02: Importation and 
Clearance of Fresh Fruit and 
Vegetables into New Zealand  
Not stated  B. dorsalis  
Z. cucurbitae  
Conopomorpha 
sinensis  1°C or below for 17 days  
1.38°C or below for 20 days  USDA Treatment Ma nual 2021, 
T107 -h 
Not stated  B. dorsalis  only 1°C or below for 15 days  
1.38°C or below for 18 days  USDA Treatment Manual  2021, 
T107 -j 
China, Taiwan, 
Thailand  Fruit flies  
Conopomorpha 
sinensis  0.99°C or below for 17 days  
1.38°C or below for 20 days  BICON, Australia  
 
   
Ministry for Primary Industries  Risk Management Proposal for cold treatment on fresh Taiwan lychee  • 11 References  for Appendix 1  
DAWE  (December 2022 ) Australia n Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON). 
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment ; Canberra, ACT,  Australia . 
(https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0  Accessed December 2021.  
MPI (2021)  Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand . 
Ministry for Primary Industries; Wellington , NZ. 
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/1147/direct  Accessed December 2021.  
USDA APHIS (2016)  Treatme nt Manual . United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)  
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Washington, D.C., USA.  
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pdf  Accessed 
December 2021.