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Venomous spiders see Mexican grapes pulled from New Zealand stores

Xinhua, July 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

New Zealand biosecurity officials are telling supermarkets to clear Mexican grapes from their fruit and vegetable sections after venomous spiders were discovered in some consignments.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said Wednesday it was taking a precautionary measure to ensure that any spiders that may have entered the country on Mexican grapes were identified and destroyed.

So far, 10 spiders had been found in grapes at several locations around the country in both islands, MPI manager surveillance Brendan Gould said in a statement.

It was likely that some grapes from the affected shipments had already been sold and the ministry was advising people who had bought imported grapes in the past few weeks to be on the lookout.

"We have received 10 reports of spider detections five are suspected black widows, one is a suspected brown widow, two are likely to be yellow sac spiders and a further two are as yet unidentified," Gould said.

All the spiders were poisonous, but they were not generally considered a serious danger to humans, although their effects can be more serious for the very young or for people with weakened immune systems.

Strict controls were in place for the importation of grapes from Mexico and other countries and fumigation was required if spiders or other pests were found.

"Importers of Mexican grapes that are in transit here are being given the option of treating or destroying them on arrival in New Zealand. Mexico's exporting season for grapes has now finished for the year," said Gould.

MPI officials said the spiders posed no risk to the country's horticultural sector, but opposition lawmakers called for a full ban on Mexican grape imports until the biosecurity checks were tightened.

"If black widows can get through then it is every bit as feasible that something more sinister, such as the glassy-winged sharpshooter, could as well. And that would wreak havoc for our wine growers," Labor Party primary industries and biosecurity spokesperson Damien O'Connor said in a statement. Endi