Passengers from New Zealand who wanted fruits to take with them to Tonga can now be able to carry up to 20 kg of selected fruits without a phytosanitary certificate, Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Food and Fisheries (MAFFF) said.
The passengers only required to show evidence that the fruit was purchased in New Zealand by providing an original receipt as proof of purchase.
Consignment weighing more than 20 kg per adult passenger will be confiscated.
Previously, passengers who wanted to send fruits to Tonga from New Zealand must get an approved export certificate from New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industry. It has to be provided to the kingdom’s Quarantine officials at the airport to help clear the fruits.
Any fruits passengers have carried with them but they were not purchased in New Zealand will be destroyed, MAFF said.
If fruits do not meet the importation requirements it may be confiscated and destroyed.
Passengers from Australia were not allowed to bring fruits to the kingdom because of fruit fly threat, it said.
The fruit fly is one of the most destructive of the 4500 fruit flies in the world.
“It is fond of fleshy fruits such as avocado, citrus, tomato, guava, feijoa, grape, peppers, persimmon, pipfruit, berryfruit and stonefruit.”
The public announcement came after Kaniva news reported in 2016 that MAFFF was concerned at the number of cases where goods have to be confiscated and destroyed because their senders have ignored or do not understand the rules on importing meat and fruit.
“Passenger accompanied fruit from Australia is prohibited and will be confiscated and destroyed due to the risks of fruit fly Fruits allowed into Tonga from New Zealand are listed in table1 below.
“Remember to declare the fruits on your arrival card and show the receipts. “No show of receipts can also lead to confiscation and eventual destruction,” MAFF said.
The passenger must show evidence that the fruit was purchased in New Zealand by providing an original receipt as proof of purchase.
Accompanied fruits that were not purchased in New Zealand will be destroyed.
Consignment exceeding the 20 kg limit per adult passenger will be confiscated.
Consignment purchased in New Zealand without proof of purchase will be confiscated.
Plant Import Permits and Quarantine Entry will be issued at Fua’amotu Airport after Inspection of fruit.
List of fruits allowed from New Zealand
Fruits’ Scientific Names:
Apple (fresh fruit) Malus spp.
Avocado (fresh fruit) Persea americana
Balsam pear Momordica charantia
Blueberry Vaccinium spp.
Cape gooseberry Physalis peruviana
Cardoon Cynara cardunculus
Citrus (fresh fruit) Citrus spp.
Cranberry (fresh fruit) Vaccinium macrocarpon
Currant (fresh fruit) Ribe spp.
Feijoa (fresh fruit) Feijoa sellowiana
Grape (fresh fruit) Vitis spp.
Nashi fruit(fresh fruit) Pyrus pyrifolia
Olive Oleae uropea
Pear (fresh fruit) Pyrus communis
Nectarine (fresh fruit) Prunus persica
Kiwifruits (fresh fruit) Actinidia deliciosa
Pepino (pear melon ) Solanum muricatum
Persimmon (fresh fruit) Diospyros virginiana
Apricot (fresh fruit) Prunus armeniaca
Peach (fresh fruit) Prunus persica
Cherry (fresh fruit) Prunus spp.
Strawberry (fresh fruit) Fragaria ananassa
Cumquat (kumquat )(fresh fruit) Fortunella margarita
Lemon (fresh fruit) Citrus limon
Mandarin (fresh fruit) Citrus reticulata
Orange (fresh fruit) Citrus sinensis
Plum (fresh fruit) Purunus domestica
Satsuma mandarin(fresh fruit) Citrus reticulata
Citrus Seville orange (fresh) Citrus aurantium
Lychee (fresh fruit) Litchi chinensis
Nashi (fresh fruit) Pyrus spp.
Persimmon (fresh fruit) Diospyros khaki
Mango (fresh fruit) Mangifera indica
