An unknown share of a shipload of New Zealand kiwifruit will have to be destroyed because of a mice invasion in the holds of a reefer vessel, according to the cargo owner, Zespri International. 

Zespri said that its first shipment of the 2024 season to Europe has been set back by the discovery of mice. The pests were found during a standard clearance process in Zeebrugge, Belgium.

Following the discovery of the infestation on the unnamed vessel, the company said it has taken the decision to quarantine the fruit as inspections continue. All the affected fruit will have to be set aside and destroyed. 

Zespri says that it takes fruit quality incredibly seriously, and assured that no fruit will be released unless both the company and regulators are confident that it is in good shape. Reports indicate there were about 1.2 million trays of SunGold kiwifruit onboard the chartered vessel, which was the first voyage to the European market for the 2024 season. It represents about 0.5 percent of the company’s expected crop this year. 

“We have a proven track record over 20 years of providing only the highest quality fruit and building a brand people trust and we won’t compromise on that. This is the first time in more than 20 years that we have encountered this issue,”…