Consultation : 
Fresh Pineapple (Ananas 
comosus ) for Human  
Consumption  
Pineapple -RMP  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared for  public consultation   
by Horticultural Imports Team  
Animal and Plant Health Directorate  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
July 2023   
i Contents  Page 
 
1 General information  1 
1.1 Purpose  1 
1.2 Who should read this  1 
1.3 What the new import health standard will do  1 
1.4 How the new import health standard will aff ect you  1 
1.5 What has changed  2 
1.6 What you can do  2 
1.7 The Official Information Act 1982  2 
2 Scope of the current pineapple work  3 
3 Biosecurity risks identified on fresh decrowned pineapples  3 
4 Managing the risks  4 
4.1 Biosecurity requirements  4 
4.2 Justification of strength of measures  6 
5 Practicality and feasibility  12 
6 References  13 
Appendix 1: Schedules and individual country -specific standards to be replaced by the new 
standard  14 
Appendix 2: Country pest lists  15 
Appendix 3: Definitions  16 
 
  
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 1 1 General information  
1.1 Purpose  
(1) This document  explains the requirements  the Ministry for Primary Industries ( MPI) is 
proposing to manage biosecurity risks on fresh pineapples ( Ananas comosus ) for human 
consumption imported to New Zealand . 
1.2 Who should read this  
(2) Read this i f you are or represent  
• a New Zealand importer of fresh produce , 
• an overseas exporter of pineapples , 
• a national plant protection organisation  (NPPO) , or 
• anyone with an interest  in fresh pineapples being imported into New Zealand.  
1.3 What the new import health standard will do  
(3) The new import health standard we are proposing  will document  the biosecurity 
requirements  for bringing  fresh pineapples for human  consumption into  New Zealand  
from approved  countries . Following these requirements will ensure that plants, animals 
and people in New Zealand are protected from biosecurity risks  that could cause harm 
or spread diseases. Biosecurity risks  can be many things, such as viruses, insects or 
fungi.  
1.4 How the  new import health standard will affect you  
(4) If you are an NPPO, New Zealand importer or overseas exporter, you will have to meet 
the biosecurity requirements.  
(5) If this proposed standard is published, MPI and MPI’s counterpart  in the exporting 
countries negotiate and agree to an export plan  or bilateral arrangement . After  the 
export plan is agreed on by both parties,  exporting countries  can trade under the new 
standard . It is proposed that there will be a transitional period to allow uninterrupted 
trade for countries that can already export to  New Zealand until their export plan  is 
finalised.  
(6) If this proposed standard is published it will replace the seven pineapple schedules 
(Australia, Ecuador, Fiji New Caledonia, Philippines, Thailand and Vanuatu) in the 
standard Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into New Zealand  
(152.02) and also replace the individual standards fo r pineapples from Ecuador, Fiji, 
Thailand and Vanuatu (Appendix 1).  
(7) If you are a New Zealand grower, your crops will continue to experience the same level 
of biosecurity protection they do now.  
(8) If you are the New Zealand public, you may have a greater sele ction of pineapple 
varieties in fresh produce shops.   
2 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  1.5 What has changed  
(9) Fresh p ineapples entering New Zealand must be decrowned.  
(10) The MPI -specified measure “MPI-recognised non-host” is based on maturity  only. 
(11) The new standard  is not specific  to a country or pineapple variety.  
(12)  The only pest that requires measures in addition to basic  measures  is 
Bactrocera  dorsalis.  
1.6 What you can do   
(13) If you are happy with the above, you do not need to do anything , but it is still a good 
idea to read the rest of the document.  
(14) If you want more information on the requirements that will manage the biosecurity 
risks , keep reading.  
(15) If you want to comment on the requirements  proposed  or participate in the process , we 
are accepting feedback until [date].  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.   
(16) 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.  
(17) 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 note regarding the 
Official Information Act 1982 below . 
(18) The deadline for feedback is [date] . If we rece ive feedback after the deadline, we will 
hold it on file and consider it when we next review the standard.  
(19) 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  
1.7 The Official Information Act 1982  
(20) Your submission is public information, and it is MPI policy to publish submissions 
and a review of these submissions on the MP I 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 se t out in the OIA. You may wish to 
indicate grounds for withholding specific information contained in your submission, 
for example, information that is  commercially sensitive or  that needs to be redacted for 
privacy reasons . Any decision to withhold informa tion requested under the OIA is 
reviewable by the Ombudsman.    
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 3 2 Scope  of the current pineapple work  
(21) MPI has reviewed the pests and requirements  of existing import standard s for fresh 
pineapple s for human  consumption . We have also  considered new market access 
requests from other trading partners. The biosecurity risks identified on fresh 
decrowned  pineapples are below, along with the proposed measures . Please refer to 
the Import Risk Analysis: Decrowned Pineapples (Ananas comosus) for Human 
Consumption  for more detail on pest risk analysis  and risk assesment ranking . 
Status  Trading partners  
Review  Australia, Ecuador, Fiji, New Caledonia, Philippines, Thailand, Vanuatu  
New Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Panama, 
Samoa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tonga  
3 Biosecurity risks identified on fresh decrowned pineapple s 
(22) Pests associated with fresh pineapple that required a full pest risk assessment (PRA) 
are listed in Table 1. The colours  indicate severity . Each col our represents a proposed 
strength of measure . 
a) Basic measures  and an MPI-specified measure  (red)  
b) Basic measures and a targeted measure  (orange)  
c) Basic measures  (green)  
 
(23) Refer to Table 2 in Appendix 2 for country specific pest lists. Please note that the pest 
lists will only contain pests that require additional measures to basic measures . As 
Bactrocera dorsalis  is the only pest proposed to require additional measures, countries 
free from this  pest do not have a pest list.  
Table 1: Pests associated with fresh decrowned pineapples  that require d a full PRA   
Scientific name  Common name Organism  Impact  
Bactrocera dorsalis  Oriental fruit fly  Fruit fly  This fruit fly has the potential to cause 
significant damage to a  wide range of 
high value crops  and plants and has the 
potential to cause major negative 
economic impacts to New Zealand . 
Dickeya zeae  
 
Pantoea ananatis  Bacterial heart rot/fruit 
collapse  
Fruitlet rot of pineapple  Bacteria  
 These bacteria may cause yield and 
quality reduction in high value crops, 
but the degree of impact and 
environmental factors associated with 
the impact are uncertain . This 
uncertainty is due to sparse data on the 
climate factors involved in disease 
expression  and outbreak, or on  the 
impact of climate change in growing 
regions of New Zealand .  
Fusarium oxysporum  Leaf spot  Fungi  We acknowledge that there is potential 
for these fungi to arrive in New Zealand, 
but the economic impact is low.  
We acknowledge that F. verticilloides  
has the potential to arrive in 
New Zealand and have a moderate 
economic impact . Additional measures Thielaviopsis paradoxa   
Pestalotiopsis microspora   
Fusarium verticilloides    
4 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  will not give us more assurance and 
cannot be justified.  
Dysmicoccus brevipes  Pineapple mealybug  Mealybug s We acknowledge that there is potential 
for these mealybugs to arrive in 
New Zealand , but the risk of them  
establishing a population and having an 
economic impact is limited . Dysmicoccus neobrevipes  Grey pineapple mealybug  
Ferrisia virgata  Striped mealybug  
Planococcus minor  Passionvine mealybug  
Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi  Jack Beardsley mealybug  
Planococcus citri  
Pseudococcus longispinus   Vectors  We d etermined that they are not 
hazards as vectors . 
Diaspis bromeliae  Pineapple  scale   Scale  This scale poses an overall negligible 
risk. 
Anatrachyntis rileyi  Pink scavenger caterpillar  Lepidoptera  We acknowledge that there is potential 
for this pest to arrive in New Zealand , 
but the risk of it establishing a 
population and having an  economic 
impact is very low . 
4 Managing  the risks  
4.1 Biosecurity r equirements  
(24) The proposed standard  has general requirements for importing fresh pineapple as well 
as two categori es of phytosanitary measures to manage pests. These are  basic 
measures  and MPI -specified measures.  
(25) We require d ifferent measures according to  the characteristics of the pests and the 
level of  biosecurity risk to  New Zealand.  
4.1.1 Commodity description  
(26) The commodity description defines the form of the commodity that is covered by the 
risk analysis  and is the baseline used in the proposed risk management decisions.  
(27)  We define the commodity as:  
“Commercially produced decrowned fresh pineapple fruit ( Anan as comosus ) imported 
for human  consumption ”.  
(28) Plant parts other than those described are ineligible for import under this standard.  
a) We assessed pests associated with the commodity as described and set 
requirements to manage those pests.  
4.1.2 General requirement s  
(29) The outcomes of  general requirements for importing fresh  pineapples are:  
 
General r equirement s Outcome  
Pineapples are decrowned (i.e., fruit with 
crown and basal leaves removed).  This removes pests and weed seeds 
associated with the crown and basal leaves.  
Exporting  market  NPPO  complies with ISPM 
7. MPI can rely on the phytosanitary assurances 
of the exporting market  NPPO . 
Pineapples undergo p hytosanitary 
inspection and certification . The exporting  NPPO certifies and attests  that 
requirements have been met .  
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 5 Packaging  is clean.  This reduces the chances of cross -
contamination and contaminating  pests being 
exported with the pineapples . 
Phytosanitary security is in place.  This stops  pests from infesting a consignment 
after it has been officially inspected.  
Bilateral arrangements  (export plans) are in 
place.  There is a bilateral understanding of how the 
import requirements will be achieved by the 
exporting country for pests that requ ire targeted 
or/and MPI -specified measures .  
4.1.3 Basic measures   
(30) All fresh  pineapples  exported to New Zealand must be commercially produced.  
(31) We define commercial production as:  
“A process (system) where activities, such as in -field monitoring, pest control 
activities, harvesting, cleaning, sorting , and grading , have been undertaken. These 
activities are carried out to minimise:  
• the presence of regulated pests; and  
• damage that may be a result of the presence of a regulated pest or that could 
expose the comm odity to regulated pests.”  
(32) The activities carried out in a commercial production setup are referred to as basic 
measure s. MPI considers b asic measures will manage the risk of the pests listed in 
green in Table 1, including  all other regulated pests associa ted with decrowned 
pineapple . We took b asic measure s as a bas eline when we did our  risk assessment . 
(33) The outcomes of basic measures (commercial production activities ) are: 
Basic measures  Outcome of basic measures  
In-field monitoring and pest control activities  Growers will detect many pests and take action 
to manage them.  
Pineapples are harvested at various 
ripeness stages excluding overripe1 Overripe fruit that may be a host of fruit fly  is 
not eligible for export to New Zealand . 
Pickers will exclude fruit that is visibly damaged 
or infested and unsuitable for commercial 
packing.  
Cleaning2 
 Packhouse workers or machinery will clean fruit 
to remove extraneous plant material, debris and 
soil and large mobile pests.  
Sorting and grading  Sorters a nd graders will remove d amaged or 
visibly pest/disease infested p ineapples.  
 
(34) We expect t hese measures to minimise the presence of regulated pests on decrowned 
pineapples at export.  Pests managed by basic measures are not specified in pineapple 
pest lists  for countries.  The full list of New Zealand’s regulated pests is online  at 
ONZPR . 
                                                      
1 Overripe is equivalent to C4 or greater as per the UNECE Standard on the marketing and commercial qualit y control of 
pineapples Link 
2 Cleaning  may include washing (hot  water , soap, chlorinated water), brushing, high pressure air , waxing.   
6 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  4.1.4 MPI-specified measures  
(35) Bactrocera dorsalis  is a high -risk pest, and an incursion could disrupt trade and cause 
large economic losses for New Zealand horticulturists. We propose managing 
B. dorsalis with basic measures and the following specified  measure s.  
MPI-specified  measure  Outcome of specifie d measures  
Country freedom  A chief technical officer is satisfied that a 
country is free of B. dorsalis  in accordance with 
ISPM 4. Requirements for the establishment of 
pest free areas  or ISPM 8. Determination of 
pest status in an area . 
MPI-recognised no n-host 
 Fresh pineapple  fruit is considered a non -host 
for B. dorsalis  if harvested at the mature green 
stage.  
Overripe fruit that may be a host of B. dorsalis 
is not eligible for import . 
The exporting NPPO is responsible for verifying 
the mature green stage. 
Pest-free area  The fresh pineapple is sourced from a p est-free 
area established i n accordance  with ISPM 4. 
Requirements for the establishment of pest free 
areas  or ISPM 26. Establishment of pest free 
areas for fruit flies (Tephritidae ). 
 
 
4.2 Justification of strength of measures  
4.2.1 Fruit fly  
(36) MPI assessed Bactrocera dorsalis (oriental fruit fly)  as a risk on the pathway for fresh 
decrowned pineapple  fruit.  
(37) MPI concluded that MPI -specified measures in addition to basic measures are needed to 
manage  the risk of B. dorsali s on commercially produced fresh pineapple.  
a. This fruit fly is recorded in association with pineapple fruit, but the record did not 
mention whether the fruit was commercially traded fruit.  
b. Infestations may not be visible because any m aggots will be inside the fruit.  
i. The uneven colour and texture of pineapples make it more difficult to detect 
fruit fly puncture marks.  
ii. Fruit culling and general post -harvest handling is unlikely to remove 
infested fruit.  
c. B. dorsalis  is likely to survive transit to New Zealand.  
d. B. dorsalis  has the potential to survive and complete development in pineapple 
fruit waste, i.e. , discarded fruit.  
e. B. dorsalis  is polyphagous.  
f. B. dorsalis has the potential to become established throughout the  North  Island 
and the warmer parts of the South Island.   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 7 g. If a single B. dorsalis  fruit fly is detected, it has the potential to cause major 
negative economic impacts to New Zealand, largely due to New Zealand’s current 
pest-free status for tephritid fruit f lies.  
i. There would be financial and commercial trade impacts on New Zealand.  
1. New Zealand horticulture exports are worth over NZ$6. 7 billion 
(MPI, 202 3a). 
2. Trading partners are likely to impose export restrictions and/or 
additional phytosanitary measures for  all fruit fly host material, which 
can be costly to implement.  
a. Market access loss at a cost of close to AU$100 million was 
recorded for the incursion of B. dorsalis  (reported as B. papaya ) 
in north Queensland.  
3. Fruit fly establishment can involve high con trol costs for growers.  
a. Control costs due to fruit flies have been estimated at over 
US$7.5 million per annum in a single province (Western Cape) 
in South Africa (Barnes, 2016).  
b. Without control measures, direct damage of fruit and vegetable 
commodities can  be as high as 100%.  
ii. Costs incurred by a response to eradicate an outbreak is high.  
1. For example, the B. tryoni (Queensland fruit fly) response in 2019 
cost the New Zealand government approximately NZ$18 million.  
h. B. dorsalis  has a wide host range and has th e potential to cause significant damage 
to many plants in New Zealand, including economically important species such as 
apple, avocado, citrus and kiwifruit.  
i. B. dorsalis has the potential to cause social and cultural impacts by affecting 
plants in resident ial gardens and native plants, including threatened and at -risk 
species.  
(38) MPI will require  fresh decrowned pineapple sourced from areas where B. dorsalis  is 
present to be restricted to harvest  at the mature green stage as an MPI -recognised non -
host phytosan itary measure.  
a. Due to the serious consequences of a fruit fly outbreak in New Zealand, we 
require a high degree of confidence that the risk posed by fruit flies is managed on 
fresh produce pathways. Considering the uncertainty surrounding the host status 
of fresh pineapple for B. dorsalis , basic measures alone will not provide MPI with 
this level of assurance.  
b. MPI recognises that fruit harvested at the mature green stage are not a risk. There 
is less uncertainty around maturity determining host status  than variety , given the 
only reports of infestation are in overripe pineapple s. There is only one report of 
pineapple as a natural host of B. dorsalis.  However, the pineapples in the report 
were collected overripe and were potentially damaged.   
8 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  4.2.2 Bacteria  
(39) MPI assessed the following bacteria as a risk on the pathway for fresh decrowned 
pineapple fruit.  
a. Dickeya  zeae (Enterobacteria: Enterobacteriaceae)  
b. Pantoea ananatis  (Enterobacterales: Erwiniaceae)  
(40) MPI considered applying further measures in addition to basic measures to manage 
these bacteria for the following reasons.  
a. They can be latent and asymptomatic in pineapple plants and fruit. Internal 
symptoms can only be detected through destructive sampling.  
b. They have the potential to cause some negative economic  impacts for various 
domestic commercial growers in New Zealand,  although the degree of impact and 
environmental factors associated with impact are uncertain. This uncertainty is 
due to sparse data on the climate factors involved in disease expression and 
outbreak, or on the impact of climate change in growing regions of New Zealand.  
i. Dickeya zeae may cause yield and quality reduction in high value crops 
such as maize, potatoes, onions and tomatoes.  
ii. Pantoea ananatis  may cause yield reduction in onions and ma ize. 
(41) MPI concluded  that basic measures are appropriate for reducing the risk of these 
bacteria on fresh pineapples.  
a. Packhouse processes (general processes for cleaning fruit, grading and visual 
inspection) are likely to remove surface bacteria and exclude severely infected 
fruit from export.  
b. Crop monitoring, pest management processes and visual inspections before 
harvest will detect D. zeae  disease outbreaks.  
c. We have not detected  either of these bacteria at the border  in the last 20 years.  
d. Applying addition al measures would not provide any further assurance that these 
bacteria will be sufficiently managed on fresh decrowned pineapples . Additional 
measures  are therefore not justified.  
4.2.3 Fungi  
(42) MPI assessed the following fungi as a risk on the pathway for fresh decrowned 
pineapple fruit .  
a. Fusarium oxysporum (Hypocreales: Nectriaceae)  
b. Thielaviopsis paradoxa (Microascales: Ceratocystidaceae)  
c. Pestalotiopsis microspora (Amphisphaeriales: Sporocadaceae)  
d. Fusarium verticillioides (Hypocreales: Nectriaceae)  
(43) MPI concluded that basic measures will appropriately manage the risk of F. oxysporum , 
T. paradoxa  and P. microspora . 
a. If these fungi enter and become established, the economic impact on commercial 
hosts will be low.  
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 9 b. F. oxysporum , T. paradoxa and P. microspo ra would have negligible or limited  
environmental, sociocultural and human health impacts.  
c. We have not detected  these fungi  at the border in the last 20 years . 
(44) MPI considered applying further measures in addition to basic measures to manage 
F. verticillioi des because it may enter and become establish ed in New Zealand.  
a. If the fungus enters and establishes the economic impact on commercial hosts will 
be moderate . 
(45) MPI concluded that basic measures will appropriately manage the risk of 
F. verticillioides . 
a. Crop monitoring, pest management processes and visual inspections before 
harvest will detect F. verticillioides  disease outbreaks.  
b. Packhouse processes (general processes for cleaning fruit, grading and visual 
inspection) are likely to remove F. verticillio ides from the surface of fruit and 
exclude severely infected fruit from export.  
c. We have not detected  F. verticillioides  at the border  in the last 20 years . 
d. Applying additional measures would not provide any further assurance that these 
fungi  will be suffic iently managed on fresh decrowned pineapples. Additional 
measures are not justified.    
10 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  4.2.4 Mealybugs  
(46) MPI assessed the following mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) as a risk on the 
pathway for fresh decrowned pineapples fruit and concluded that these species  can be 
managed by basic measures alone.  
a. Dysmicoccus brevipes  
b. Dysmicoccus neobrevipes  
c. Ferrisia virgata  
d. Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi  
e. Planococcus minor  
(47) MPI is satisfied that the risk of mealybugs establishing a population and having an 
economic impact is limited , but we acknowledge that there is still potential for these 
mealybugs to arrive in New Zealand.  
a. They are associated with pineapple fruit.  
b. General pest control activities are not completely effective because mealybugs 
have a protective waxy coating.  
c. Mealybugs have the potential to stay undetected and hide in the bracts and 
crevices of the fruit.  
d. Mealybugs can survive transit conditions.  
(48) If infested fruit arrives in New Zealand, mealybugs have limited potential to be exposed  
to an appropriate host.  
a. Adult mealybugs have restricted mobility.  
b. Crawlers can be dispersed by wind but are less likely to survive the dispersal 
event or land on a suitable host.  
c. Crawlers are vulnerable to predation and desiccation.  
d. There is a risk of exposure via residential comp osting and animal feed, but as 
mentioned above, there is limited risk of establishment and impact.  
(49) In the event  of exposure, these mealybugs have limited ability to establish a population 
in New  Zealand.  
a. Sexual reproduction and the climate of New Zealand are barriers for 
establishment.  
b. P. minor  can establish a population anywhere in the North Island but can only 
reproduce sexually.  
c. D. brevipes  and F. virgata  can reproduce asexually, but areas where they can 
establish populations are limited by climate compatibility.  
d. Establishment of D. neobrevipes  and P. jacksbeardsleyi  is limited by both sexual 
reproduction and climate compatibility.  
(50) In the unlikely  event th at mealybugs become established, the economic impact of these 
mealybugs in New  Zealand would be low. 
a. There are existing pest management programmes for mealybugs in New  Zealand.   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 11 b. These pests are known to have minimal impact on crops that are of economic 
impo rtance to New Zealand.  
c. They are unlikely to vector viruses of concern.  
(51) Commercial  production activities before export to New Zealand will reduce populations 
of mealybugs.  
a. There are crop monitoring activities, pest management processes and visual 
inspectio ns before harvest.  
b. There are general packhouse processes for cleaning fruit.  
c. Grading and visual inspections take place at  the packhouse.  
4.2.5 Vectors  
(52) MPI also assessed the two mealybugs ( Planococcus citri  and Pseudococcus 
longispinus ) as vectors and determined that they are not hazards as vectors.  
4.2.6 Insect scale  
(53) MPI assessed the armoured scale insect Diaspis bromeliae  (Hemiptera : Diaspididae ) as 
a risk on the pathway for fresh decrowned pineapple fruit and determined that it poses 
an overall negligible risk.  
(54) MPI concluded that basic measures are adequate to manage the risk of this armoured 
scale.  
a. Although D. bromeliae  is associated with fresh pineapples when infestation levels 
are high, commercial production practices will reduce populations of 
D. bromeliae . 
b. If infested fruit arrives in New Zealand, D. bromeliae  has limited potential  to 
transfer to a suitable host, and it is unlikely the scale will find the narrow 
conditions it needs to establish a population.  
4.2.7 Lepidoptera   
(55) MPI assessed the Lepidoptera species Anatrachyntis rileyi  as a risk on the pathway for 
fresh decrowned  pineapple fruit and concluded that this caterpillar can be managed by 
basic measures .  
(56) MPI is satisfied that the risk of A. rileyi  establishing a population and having  an 
economic impact is limited , but we acknowledge that there is still potential for A. rileyi  
to arrive in New  Zealand and be exposed to a suitable host.  
a. A. rileyi is associated with pineapple fruit.  
b. General pest control activities may not remove all A. rileyi . 
c. External larvae will be detected during phytosanitary inspection, but young larvae 
can burrow into fruit without causing obvious symptoms.  
d. A. rileyi can overwinter and has been detected alive at the New Zealand border, 
indicating that it can survive transit conditions.  
e. A. rileyi  larvae can develop on lots of different plants and on plant waste, and they 
can also eat scale insects.   
12 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  (57) In the event of exposure, the risk of A. rileyi establishing in New Zealand is limited.  
a. Sexual reproduction and the climate of New Zealand are b arriers for 
establishment.  
(58) In the unlikely  event that A. rileyi  establishes a population, the economic impact  in 
New  Zealand w ill be very low . 
(59) Commercial production activities before export to New Zealand will reduce populations  
of A. rileyi . 
a. There are cro p monitoring activities, pest management processes and visual 
inspections before harvest.  
b. There are general packhouse processes for cleaning fruit.  
c. Grading and visual inspections take place at the packhouse.  
5 Practical ity and feasib ility 
(60) We expect the  proposed  measures to be  practical and feasible for importers and 
growers . 
a. Decrowned pineapples are already imported to New Zealand. This new 
requirement is likely  to save importers money  and will effectively manage the 
biosecurity risk of weed seeds.   
i. Historically , there have been biosecurity clearance issues at the 
New  Zealand border with crown -on pineapples because border staff would 
often find weed seeds in the crowns. For these consignments to be released, 
the pineapples had to be decrowned at a cost to the importer.  
ii. We acknowledge  that decrowning pineapples may reduce  their shelf life . 
However, we are confident that the cost and time  benefits of decrowning  to 
importers far outweigh th is reduction in shelf life . 
b. Harvesting at the mature green stage is al ready used as an MPI -recognised non -
host measure on currently traded pineapple pathways.  
c. Pineapples ranging from C1 to C3 colour classification are already imported to 
New Zealand.  
d. Out of the options available to manage biosecurity risks, the ones we are 
proposing are the least trade restrictive.  
   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 13 6 References  
MPI (202 3) Import Risk Analysis: Decrowned Pineapples (Ananas comosus) for Human 
Consumption . Mini stry for Primary Industries; Wellington, NZ. [Link ] 
MPI (202 3a) Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries . Ministry for Primary Industries; 
Wellington, NZ. https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/57298 -Situation -and-Outlook -for-Primary -
Industries -SOPI -June -2023 
Barnes, B N (2016) Sterile insect technique (SIT) for fruit fly control – the South African 
experience. In Ekesi, S; Mohamed, S A; de Meyer, M (eds) (2016) Fruit Fly Research and 
Development in Africa – Towards a Sustainable Management Strategy to Improve 
Horticulture . Springer Cham; Cham, Switzerland. pp. 435 –464. DOI: 10.1007/978 -3-319-
43226 -7_19 [ Link ]   
14 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  Appendix 1: Schedules and individual country -specific 
standards  to be replaced b y the new standard  
 
1. Schedules in Importation and Clearance of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables into 
New Zealand  (152.02) :  
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , Australia  
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , Ecuador  
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , Fiji 
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , New Caledonia  
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , Philippines  
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , Thailand  
• Pineapple, Ananas comosus , Vanuatu  
 
2. Individual country -specific standards :  
• Import Health Standard Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables 
Pineapple , Ananas comosus from Ecuador  
• Import Health Standard Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables 
Pineapple , Ananas comosus from Fiji  
• Import Health Standard Commodity Sub -class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables 
Pineapple, Ananas comosus  from Thailand  
• Import Health Standard Commodity Sub-class: Fresh Fruit/Vegetables 
Pineapple , Ananas comosus from Vanuatu  
   
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 15 Appendix 2: Country pe st lists  
 
Table 2: Pest lists by country for pest (s) that require additional measures3 
 
Country  Pest  
Indonesia  
 Bactrocera dorsalis  
Malaysia  
 Bactrocera dorsalis  
Papua New Guinea  Bactrocera dorsalis  
 
Philippines  
 Bactrocera dorsalis  
Sri Lanka  
 Bactrocera dorsalis  
Taiwan  
 Bactrocera dorsalis  
Thailand  
 Bactrocera dorsalis  
 
3The following countries  have country freedom for B. dorsalis (including where it is under official 
eradication), and thus do not have any pests that are proposed to require additional measures; Australia 
(Bactrocera dorsalis  is transient / under eradication),  Cook  Islands, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, New 
Caledonia, Panama, Samoa , Tonga,  and Vanuatu . 
 
   
16 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  Appendix 3: Definitions  
 
basic measures  
The sourcing of fresh fruit and vegetable commodities for export to New Zealand from a 
production site that uses standard commercial production methods  
 
commercial production  
A process (system) where activities, such as in -field monitoring, pest control activities, 
harvesting, cleaning, sorting, and grading have been undertaken. These activities are carried 
out to minimise:  
a. the presence of regulated pests  
b. damage which may be a re sult of the presence of a regulated pest or could expose 
the commodity to regulated pests.  
contaminating pest  
A pest that is carried by a commodity, packaging, conveyance or container, or present in a 
storage place and that, in the case of plants and plant products, does not infest them (ISPM 5. 
Glossary of phytosanitary terms ) 
 
contamination  
Presence of a contami nating pest or unintended presence of a regulated article in or on a 
commodity, packaging, conveyance, container or storage place (ISPM 5. Glossary of 
phytosanitary terms ) 
 
economically important fruit flies  
Regulated fruit flies, which, on entry into New Zealand, would cause a major disruption to 
market access for a wide range of New Zealand commodities, have a significant economic 
impact on plant production and/or have a significant economic impact on the environment  
 
export plan  
An export plan, bilateral  quarantine arrangement or official assurance programme, negotiated 
between MPI and the NPPO  of an exporting country, that details how the exporting country 
will meet the import requirements ( targeted measures and/or MPI -specified measures ) for 
New Zealand  
 
import health standard  
Definition as per the New Zealand Biosecurity Act 1993  
 
MPI -recognised non -host 
A commodity recognised by MPI as a non -host for the target pest species based on the stage 
of maturity or cultivar/variety of the commodity  
 
MPI -specified measures  
Phytosanitary measures prescribed by MPI in the import health standard . They are reserved 
for pests that present a very high risk to New Zealand and ar e not managed by basic measures 
alone, such as economically important fruit fly species. These measures have known efficacy 
to detect, remove or kill target pests.  
 
national plant protection organisation (NPPO)  
Official service established by a government to discharge the functions specified by the IPPC 
(ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms )  
Ministry for Primary Industries   Consultation: Fresh pineapples  • 17  
Official New Zealand Pest Register (ONZPR)  
The searchable database of pests regulated in New Zealand, including general information 
about each pest as well as specific details for importers and exporters, available at  
https://onzpr.mpi.govt.nz/    
 
pest risk assessment  (PRA)  
Evaluation of the probability of the introduction and spread of a pest and the magnitude of the 
associated potential economic consequences (ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms ) 
 
pest 
Any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent i njurious to plants or plant 
products (ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms ), including weeds and weed seeds  
 
phytosanitary measure  
Any legislation, regulation or official procedure having the purpose to prevent the 
introduction or spread of quarantine p ests, or to limit the economic impact of regulated non -
quarantine pests (ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms ) 
 
targeted measures  
Measures in addition to basic measures , targeting a specific pest. An approved measure from 
the import health standards may be proposed by the exporting country . It will be agreed on 
with MPI and documented  in the export plan. Targeted measures are effective at reducing the 
risk of a regulated pest associated with a commodity to an acceptable level.  
 
vector  
An organism that ca n carry or harbour another organism capable of causing harm to human, 
animal, or plant health, or the environment in New Zealand  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
18 • Consultation: Fresh pineapples  Ministry for Primary Industries  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 a vailable on the Ministry for Primary Industries website at  
http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news -and-resources/publications/   
 
 
© Crown Copyright – Ministry for Primary Industries