IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
(Biosecurity Act 1993)    Page 1 of 9
  
 
 
 
 
 
Import Health Standard 
Commodity sub-class: Fresh fruit/vegetables 
 
 
 
 
Dragon fruit 
(Hylocereus spp.) 
 
From 
 
Viet Nam 
 
 
 
ISSUED 
 
Issuance: XX XXXX 20XX 
 
 
  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
(Biosecurity Act 1993)    Page 2 of 9
 Issuance 
This import health standard for fresh dragon fruit for consumption from Viet Nam has been 
issued pursuant to section 24A of the Biosecurity Act (1993). 
   
 
 
  
 Signature of Group Manager, …………………….. 
Acting under authority 
  
 
Date: DD Month 20XX 
 
 
  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
(Biosecurity Act 1993)    Page 3 of 9
 IMPORT HEALTH STANDARD: FRESH FRUIT/VEGETABLES 
 
Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam. 
  Contents 
 
Part A. Background .................. ................ ................ ................ ................ ............. ............. ....... 4 
Part B. General phytosanitary import requirements for all fresh fruit and vegetables for 
consumption .................................................................................................................. 5 
Part C. Additional requirements for dragon fruit from  Viet Nam ....... ................ ............. ......... 5 
Part D. Phytosanitary certification ........................................................................................... . 6 
Part E. Regulated pest list for dragon fruit from Viet Nam ...................................................... 8  
Appendix 1: Verification activities on arrival in New Zealand ................................................ 9  
 
  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
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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 dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) for human consumption imported into New Zealand from 
Viet Nam.  
Commodity Description 
The commodity description “dragon fruit” for human consumption is defined as commercially-
produced oval-shaped dragon fruit with protruding soft flat green scales (or bracts) of Hylocereus  
spp. of the Cactaceae family; excluding stems or flowers. 
Definitions 
The definitions of relevant phytosanitary terms used in this standard are consistent with the terms stated in the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No.5: Glossary of 
phytosanitary terms (2007), produced by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), 
unless the context otherwise requires or the definition is stated below. 
Import health standard (IHS) - a document issued pursuant to section 24A of the Biosecurity Act 
1993 on behalf of the Director General, permitting entry to New Zealand of a specific product 
under certain conditions. 
MPI - the Ministry for Primary Industries which is responsible for regulatory biosecurity 
functions. 
Unit - one dragon fruit. 
Regulated pest - means those organisms for which phytosanitary actions would be undertaken if 
they were intercepted/detected. 
Outcome 
The agreed pre-shipment phytosanitary measures for specific regulated pests have been 
undertaken and the dragon fruit are free of all regulated pests. 
The specified regulated pests listed in Part E  require specific phytosanitary measures. Visual 
inspection is required for all regulated pests. 
At a 95% confidence level, not more than 0.5% of the units in the consignment are infested (this 
equates to an acceptance level of zero units infested by regulated pests in a sample size of 600 units). 
Verification activities associated with th is performance measure are found in Appendix 1
.  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
(Biosecurity Act 1993)    Page 5 of 9
 Equivalence 
Under section 27 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, measures, different from those in the standard may 
be applied to effectively manage risk arising from non-compliance.  
MPI may consider a pre-export application for an equivalent phytosanitary measure to maintain 
at least the same level of protection assured by the current measures in this standard. Equivalence 
is determined in accordance with ISPM 24 (2011): Guidelines for the determination and 
recognition of equivalence of  phytosanitary measures.  
Part B. General phytosanitary im port requirements for all fresh 
fruit and vegetables for consumption 
The IHS 152.02: Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand  
contains the phytosanitary requirements that must be met for all fresh fruit and vegetable 
commodities that are allowed to be imported into New Zealand. IHS 152.02 outlines transit 
requirements, verification activities on arriva l in New Zealand and actions taken on pest 
interceptions. 
IHS 152.02 can be found at the MPI website ( http://www.biosecurity .govt.nz/files/ihs/152-
02.pdf ). 
Part C. Additional requirements for dragon fruit from Viet Nam 
Phytosanitary measures 
All dragon fruit for export to New Zealand must be sourced from orchards that produce 
commercial dragon fruit under standard cultivation, pest-control, harvesting and packing 
activities. During harves t, infested, infected or damaged fruit must be discarded prior to 
treatment.  
MPI requires a mandatory pre-export treatment of dragon fruit for economically important fruit 
fly species. MPI currently approves vapour heat tr eatment at fruit pulp temperatures at or above 
46.5°C for at least 40 minutes.  
The application of vapour heat treatment must be in accordance with the Official Assurance 
Programme between Viet Nam’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) and MPI. 
Phytosanitary certification will need to attest to this accordingly. 
Inspection of the consignment 
Once the phytosanitary measures have been undertaken for the pests specified in the regulated 
pest list ( Part E ), Viet Nam’s NPPO is required to samp le and visually inspect the consignment 
according to official procedures for all regulated pests to ensure it meets New Zealand’s current 
import requirements.   
A phytosanitary certificate should not be issued if live regulated pests are detected. If organisms 
are found which are not listed in the IHS, Viet Nam’s NPPO must establish their regulatory status 
by consulting the MPI “Biosecurity Organisms Register for Imported Commodities” (BORIC),  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
(Biosecurity Act 1993)    Page 6 of 9
 online at http://www.biosecurity.gov t.nz/pests/registers/boric  or if an organism is not listed in 
BORIC, Viet Nam’s NPPO must contact MPI to establish the regulatory status of the organism. 
Part D. Phytosanitary certification 
Activities required for phytosanitary certification 
A completed phytosanitary certificate issued by Viet Nam’s NPPO must accompany all dragon 
fruit consignments exported to New Zealand. Th e phytosanitary certificate must be in English 
and must be an original. Bilingual certificates are acceptable as long as English is one of the languages. The phytosanitary certificate also re quires the following certification statement as 
aligned to ISPM 12: Guidelines for phytosanitary certificates  (2011); 
“This is to certify that the plants, plant products or other regulated articles described herein have 
been inspected and/or tested according to appropriate official procedures and are considered to be free from the quarantine pests specified by the importing contracting party and to conform with 
the current phytosanitary requirements of the importing contracting party, including those for 
regulated non-quarantine pests.” 
Before a phytosanitary certificate is issued, Viet Nam’s NPPO must be satisfied that the 
following activities have been undertaken. 
The dragon fruit have: 
i) been visually inspected in accordance with appropriate official procedures and found 
free from regulated pests specified by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries 
(NZ MPI). 
AND 
ii) undergone treatment that is effective against regulated arthropod pests in accordance 
with terms of the Official Assurance Programme between NZ MPI and the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Viet Nam.  
Additional declarations to the phytosanitary certificate 
If satisfied that the pre-shipment phytosanitary me asures have been undertaken effectively, Viet 
Nam’s NPPO must confirm this by providing the following additional declarations to the 
phytosanitary certificate:  
The dragon fruit in this consignment have: 
i) been visually inspected in accordance with appropriate official procedures and found 
free from regulated pests specified by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries 
(MPI). 
AND 
ii) been produced in accordance with terms of, and treated as per Appendix xxx of the 
Official Assurance Programme between the New Zealand Ministry for Primary 
Industries (MPI) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of 
Viet Nam.  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
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 NOTE: Full details of the vapour heat treatment, including temperature and 
duration, must be included in the “Disinfestation and/or Disinfection Treatment” 
area of the phytosanitary certificate or as an endorsed attachment to the 
phytosanitar y certificate.  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
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 Part E. Regulated pest list for dragon fruit from Viet Nam  
Scientific name Organism 
type Common name Actions on 
interception 
Aspergillus avenaceus Fungus  2 
Aspergillus flavus  var. flavus Fungus  2 
Aspergillus tubin gensis Fungus  2 
Curvularia oryzae Fungus  2 
Penicillium charlesii Fungus  2 
Bactrocera correcta Insect guava fruit fly 3 
Bactrocera cucurbitae Insect melon fly 3 
Bactrocera dorsalis  Insect Oriental fruit fly 3 
Diaspis echinocacti   Insect prickly pear scale 2 
Dysmicoccus neobrevipes   Insect grey pineapple mealybug 2 
Ferrisia virgata  Insect guava mealybug  2 
Lopholeucaspis cockerelli   Insect cockerel scale 2 
Planococcus lilacinus  Insect citrus mealybug 2 
Planococcus minor  Insect Pacific mealybug 2 
NOTE: The suspension of the pathway could be at the production area, packhouse, province 
or country level depending on the significance of the pest and the interception. Actions on interception  
2 Treat, resort, reship or destroy.   
2a Treat, reship or destroy. Suspend pathway. 
3 Reship or destroy. Suspend pathway 
  
IHS Fresh Fruit/Vegetables  Dragon fruit ( Hylocereus spp.) from Viet Nam   XX XX 20XX 
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 Appendix 1: Verificat ion activities on arrival in New Zealand 
MPI will inspect documentation on arrival in Ne w 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.