Keep an eye out for the pea weevil

By Philippa Rawlinson Federated Farmers Arable Industry Advisor

6 September, 2016

I was fortunate enough to head overseas on holiday last month.  As the holiday drew to a close, I began thinking about how long it would take to get through customs and border security and back into New Zealand.  

I was pleasantly surprised when I made it back into the country in forty minutes even with luggage x-rayed, scanned, biosecurity checks and all the usual questions. I was intrigued by the biosecurity processes at our international airports as in recent times it appears the practices and processes at other borders have not been stringent enough to stop biosecurity incursions.  

Federated Farmers has been working constructively with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other industry stakeholders on the velvetleaf, pea weevil and Blackgrass incursions.  

When viewed with the benefit of hindsight, we may question each action that was undertaken and the timeliness of decision making around these incursions.  But in each one, Federated Farmers has been working on behalf of farmers to advocate for them and ensure we get the best opportunity to eradicate these pests and weeds from New Zealand.  

The wider arable industry is extremely supportive of all Wairarapa growers who have accepted the decision and the associated uncertainty by placing a moratorium on pea production in the region for two years.  

This moratorium extends not only to commercial growers, but home gardeners too.  As pea weevil larvae feed on peas only, by removing their only food source it is anticipated the weevil will die out and lead to a successful eradication of the insect.  

Although there only a few commercial and home gardeners growing peas in their gardens, there are still some practical steps you can take to join a nationwide effort to monitoring for pea weevil.  

You can keep using any pea straw you have, but we encourage you to pull any sprouting pea plants out and destroy them. 

If you suspect you have found the pea weevil please call the Biosecurity Hotline on 0800 80 99 66 to report the find. If possible take a photo of the insect and catch it to help with identification.