HortNZ chief executive Kate Scott said since the news of the find became public, growers up and down the country were "obviously concerned".
"Growers are always vigilant and on the lookout for pests of any kind and, obviously, fruit flies would be one of those.
"It just really highlights the importance of good biosecurity systems."
Although the Oriental fruit fly posed no risk to human health, its establishment in New Zealand could have severe economic consequences for the horticulture industry, she said.
"It will also impact those Kiwis growing fruit and vegetables in their gardens at home."
Ms Scott, who is based in Cromwell, said southern growers needed to be vigilant and avoid complacency.
"The key advice I would have is that if anyone was to identify any pests, then they should be connecting and touching base directly with Ministry for Primary Industries and Biosecurity New Zealand.
"Horticulture is a $7 billion industry in New Zealand.
"We’re the third-largest primary sector and the risk to horticulture if there was any form of biosecurity incursion would be significant."
Strict biosecurity conditions were in place after a male Oriental fruit fly was found in a surveillance trap in Papatoetoe, in South Auckland, on Friday.
Biosecurity NZ regional commissioner Mike Inglis said the response had ramped up, with special bins for fruit and vegetable disposal delivered to the affected area, and a mobile lab had been set up.
Restrictions on moving fruit and vegetables out of the area would be in place for a fortnight.
There were already 187 surveillance traps in the Papatoetoe-Mangere area, and by the end of yesterday, an extra 105 were in place within a 1500m radius of the original find, he said.
Mr Inglis said instead of putting waste in rubbish bins to be disposed of normally, residents in the affected area should put fruit and vegetable waste into Biosecurity NZ’s special response bins.
The Oriental fruit fly is native to Asia but has now spread to many warmer countries, especially as the climate warms.
Adult flies lay eggs into fruit and the young stages (maggots) feed inside the fruit, causing it to rot and become unmarketable.
Mr Inglis said in the 12 previous times fruit flies had turned up in New Zealand, they had been successfully eradicated with the community’s help. — Additional reporting RNZ
