Biosecurity officials have lifted movement controls on fruit and vegetables in Mt Roskill, with the country declared free of Queensland fruit fly following a targeted response in the suburb.

No further evidence of the pest was found after a single male fly was detected in a surveillance trap in early January, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said.

“This is great news for all New Zealanders, and particularly for our horticulture industry, which would have been significantly impacted by the establishment of a Queensland fruit fly population here,” Hoggard said. He cited industry projections of $9.2 billion in annual produce exports by 2026, and noted kiwifruit returned $4.1 billion in the year to July 2025.

Biosecurity New Zealand says the result reflects its layered system: offshore treatment of fruit, checks at the border, and surveillance trapping to detect any flies that slip through. According to Hoggard, New Zealand has stamped out 15 fruit fly incursions since 1996.

The Minister thanked residents, local businesses and sector groups for following the temporary restrictions in Mt Roskill. With the controls lifted, normal movement of fruit and vegetables in the area resumes.